The Unknown Champion and the Goblet of Fire
by AndromedaKaelin
Summary: Harry meets a girl like no other, she is incredibly beautiful, but mysterious with many of deep dark secrets. They are set on three dangerous tasks in the Triwizard Tournament, but must trust each other and work together as friends and partners. She slowly reveals her secrets, but one of them could completely change how he sees her and how he trusts her.
1. Hidden

Harry tightened his grip on his owl's cage. His trolley almost getting away as he did so. His green eyes were full of excitement. His black hair was unruly, as usual. His snowy white owl tweeted at him as she got jostled around slightly.

"Sorry, Hedwig," Harry apologized to the owl.

Harry looked around expecting to see a pack of red heads wandering around platform nine and three quarters. So there was. Harry pushed through the crowd to them.

"Harry?" one of them said. He was tall and had vibrant red hair, like the rest of the group. He had an enthusiastic grin on his face.

"Ron!" Harry said enthusiastically.

Ron pulled Harry into a bear hug. Harry then received a more gentle hug from Mrs. Weasley and a noogie from the twins, Fred and George. They looked almost the same, but Harry knew them well enough to know which was which. Mrs. Weasley was a slightly stout woman with a loving grin always spread across her face. In the back of the group stood another red head, Ginny. She smiled warmly at Harry.

"Where is Mr. Weasley and Percy?" Harry asked.

"Dad's at work and Percy is off being Percy," Ron explained briefly.

Harry and Ron pushed their trolleys toward the baggage car and loaded their things inside. As they finished, a girl with bushy brown hair ran toward them. She pulled them both into a hug. She had buck teeth that weren't quite as prominent as the used to be. Her eyes glowed with happiness. She had a book back over her shoulder. She had abandoned her trolley for a moment to greet her friends.

"Nice to see you too, Hermione," Ron said.

"I missed you guys," Hermione said. "I heard that something really important is happening this year at Hogwarts, but I'm not sure what."

"Let us at least say 'Hi, Hermione'," Harry said.

"Hi, Hermione," Ron joked.

Hermione put a hand on her hip and rolled her eyes.

"Anyway," she said.

"Yeah, my dad has been kind of secretive, I can tell,: Ron said before Hermione could say anything. "Something important is definitely going to happen."

Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not that stupid to not notice my own dad's behavior," Ron said.

Harry laughed.

"This is going to be a great year," he chuckled.

Hermione put her things in the baggage car and chatted on and on about homework and classes.

They boarded the train and walked up and down the aisle looking for an empty compartment. Most of them were full or didn't have enough room, but they finally found one at the end of the train with one girl in it. She had raven black hair that fell over her face. Her head was leaning on the window. She already had her robes on.

Harry, Ron and Hermione silently fought who would sit closer to her. The mouthed words to each other and made hand signals. Harry lost and sat next to Ron on the same seat as the girl. They put their things on the racks and sat down. The girl didn't even look at them. She just stared out of the window at the busy station.

"Did you guys do all your summer homework?" Hermione asked, practically ignoring the girl.

Ron gave her a blank look and Harry grinned sheepishly.

"I guess that is a no?" Hermione said.

"Pretty much," Ron said. "I only got through the first page of my History of Magic homework and bailed."

Hermione sighed and turned to Harry.

"Hey, I got all of it done except for my History of Magic homework," Harry said proudly.

"I am assuming you need my help with that?" Hermione said.

"Yes," Harry and Ron said in unison then Ron added. "I could use some help with everything else, too."

Hermione rolled her eyes and pulled out her books and parchment. They did homework for most of the ride until Ron could bear no more.

"My brain is fried," Ron said.

That was the sign to put all the books and parchment away.

Hermione stared at Harry until she got his attention then she gestured to the girl sitting in the corner. The girls hands were clenched in fists. Harry shrugged. Hermione pointed to him then to her and mouthed, 'Say something'. Harry sighed inwardly.

"Hey," he began.

At first the girl didn't acknowledge him. She just stared out the window.

"Hey, girl," Ron said.

Hermione hit him.

The girl slowly turned her head toward them and they all had to hold back gasps. She looked so different. Sure she had the features of a normal human being, but she was unnaturally beautiful. Her raven black hair was slightly wavy, and swoop bangs that almost hung in front of her eyes. Her beautiful hair hung down to her waist. Her figure was slim and thin. Her skin looked unnaturally smooth. Her cheeks were slightly rosy. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of silver. She was beautiful, but her expression didn't reflect that beauty. Her eyebrows were narrowed slightly and she showed no hint of a smile.

"What?" she asked.

Her voice was so smooth. It had a singsong ring to it, but it had a sharp stab to it.

"Umm… what's your name," Harry asked, with a hint of uncertainty.

She looked at him for a moment with an unreadable expression.

"Blake," she answered then turned her head away as a sign that she didn't want to talk anymore, but Harry would not give up.

"What year are you in?" he asked.

The girl sighed, obviously annoyed.

"I'm a fifth year," she said.

"Cool. I'm a fourth year and so are my friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley," Harry said.

"And who are you?" Blake asked.

Ron gave her a funny look and Harry's eyes went wide.

"Don't you know him?" Hermione inquired.

"Should I?"

"He is Harry Potter," she said.

Blake's expression didn't change.

"Fascinating," she said, but her tone had no fascination in it.

Harry sighed. "What house are you in?" he asked. "No wait, let me guess… Ravenclaw. Am I right?"

Blake raised an eyebrow.

"No," she said. "I'm a Gryffindor. Like you."

Ron snorted. Harry glared at him.

"I've never seen you around before," Hermione said.

"Not a big surprised," Blake said. "I am the one people usually look over."

"But you are so-," Ron began.

"Why?" Harry asked, elbowing Ron.

"Lets just say… I'm good at hiding from the world," she said. She turned away and abruptly ending the conversation.

Harry turned to Hermione. She shook her head. Ron just shrugged.

"Lost cause," Ron whispered.

Hermione kicked his shin.

'Shut it' she mouthed.

Ron began a conversation, but Harry soon lost interest and started stealing glimpses of Blake. He wondered why he had never seen or noticed her before. She was gorgeous. He noticed that her left sleeve was slightly pulled up and wrapped around her arm was a thin wrap.

Blake glanced at him and looked down at her sleeve. She gasped and pulled her sleeve down. Harry quickly looked away, but he could feel her glaring at him. When he dared a glance she was looking out the window.

Again, Harry wondered how someone so beautiful could hide.


	2. Locked Beauty

Once the train stopped Harry, Hermione and Ron quickly got their things and left the compartment, but Harry could help by taking a backward glance at Blake. She was slowly gathering her things. He almost turned around to help her, but one look from Hermione told him he shouldn't.

Draco stopped them outside of the train.

"Potter," he said.

Draco approached him.

"This year the war begins," Draco said.

Harry looked at him with a confused expression then his mind flashed back to the night at the Quidditch World Cup. He shook his head, knowing that, that had nothing to do with Draco.

Draco pushed him in the shoulder and pulled out his wand. Then a girl walked by. Raven black hair sweeping back and forth. Draco's eyes were immediately drawn to her. It was Blake. He looked dumbstruck. Harry snorted. Blake's eyes turned to him and Draco's eyes filled with jealousy. She smiled slightly and continued walking. Ron eyebrows shot up.

"She smiled at you, Harry," he said.

"Really?" Harry said sarcastically.

Draco's eyes grew dark.

Ron stuck his tongue and walked away with Harry and Hermione. Harry saw Blake disappear into the crowd. He walked quickly trying to catch up with her, but soon lost sight of her.

"Harry, slow down," Hermione called. She hurried up beside him and stared into the crowd.

They dragged their things to the baggage carriage. Harry spotted on carriage with a girl sitting on the top seating area and he knew exactly who it was. He casually walked toward that carriage. The inside mostly full. Inside he spotted Fred George, Neville and Ginny. Ron climbed inside and Hermione followed.

"Jump in Harry," Ginny said despite the lack of room. "We can squish."

"I'll just go up top," he said.

He climbed up onto the step leading to the top seating area and sat down. Blake looked at him. He smiled warmly. She made eye contact for a minute then turned away.

The ride to Hogwarts was very silent for Harry. He could hear his friends laughing below him. He sighed.

"So, Harry Potter is it," Blake said.

Harry was surprised that she started the conversation.

"Yeah," he said.

"You usually have problems with pure bloods?" she asked.

"I… no… sometimes," he admitted.

Blake smiled.

"So I never caught what your full name," Harry said.

"Blake Griffith," she answered.

"No to be rude or anything, but why do you want to hide?"

"That was abrupt."

Harry shrugged. Blake didn't answer for a moment.

"I don't like being noticed, because… well, I guess you could say that was how I was raised," she said. "I don't like drawing attention to myself."

"But how do you hide being the way you are?" Harry wondered.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "It's easier than you think."

"But you are so… nevermind."

He didn't continue the conversation and Blake seemed no longer interested in talking to him.

Harry wished he had more charm. He studied Blake trying to find a way that she could hide such a beautiful face and figure. He wondered why he never noticed her before. She was so unusually beautiful and different. He wanted to find out if her beauty was on the inside as well as the outside. He didn't know why, but he wanted to know her. He was drawn to her by her beauty. There was something else that he was drawn to, but he couldn't put his finger on. He somehow felt connected to her. He scolded himself for thinking something so foolish.

Blake smiled as she glanced at Harry who had a kind of upset look on his face and was mumbling to himself. He looked up at her and laughed.

"I must look kind of stupid right," he said.

"Maybe a little," she said. She had the singsong ring back in her voice.

The carriage stopped abruptly. Harry's friends started jump out of the carriage and Blake quickly wiped the smile off her face. She quickly jumped down and started walking away.

"Any luck?" Hermione asked.

"With what?" Harry inquired.

"Harry you are obviously interested in her," Hermione said.

"I'm not interested to in her," he defended. "I just… I don't know… I feel like she needs help. She seems lonely and kind of feels drawn to help her."

"Well, you don't seem very 'drawn' to help her now," Hermione said. "Because there she goes."

Harry looked up and saw Blake walking away with a trunk and a cage with an owl in it. Harry quickly grabbed his own trunk and owl and practically sprinted to catch up with Blake. Once he caught up to her he paused to take a breath. Blake looked at him for a moment then continued walking. Harry sighed and walked to catch up with her again.

"So Blake, I was wondering if… whoa," he stopped in the middle of his sentence when he got a glimpse of her owl. It looked like a giant snowy owl. "What is that?"

Blake looked at her owl and back at Harry.

"It is a combination breed of a snowy owl and a great grey owl," she said. "They are very expensive and hard to find. My mom actually found this one in a forest. It had a wounded leg. She brought it home to heal. We kept for a week then decided to let it go, but it wouldn't leave. We tried to leave it in the forest, but the neck morning it was tapping on out window." Blake scoffed at herself. "I don't know why I even told you that."

"Well, it's cool," he said.

"Well, see you around," she said.

"Blake, do you want to hang out with me and my friends?" Harry asked.

"You want me to be your friend?" she said looking at him like he was a Muggle that just saw her do incredible magic.

"Yeah."

"Why?" she said solemnly.


	3. The Triwizard Tournament

Harry pondered the question. Had anyone really wondered why someone asked them to be their friend?

"Because I want to get to know you and you seem lonely," Harry said.

"What makes you say that?" Blake said defensively.

"No, I'm trying to be rude it's just that you look like you could use a friend," he said.

Blake stared at him for a moment then turned away.

"Well, please give it some thought," Harry said.

Blake sighed and back turned around. Harry had already began to walk away.

"Wait, maybe we could try… being friends," she said.

A wide grin spread across Harry's face.

"Great," he said. "I'll introduce you to my friends."

Blake followed him back to the pack of redheads and brunettes. Hermione smiled at Harry as she saw him coming back over with Blake walking next to him. Ron was staring at Blake with a dreamy far off look.

"So there's Neville, Fred, George," Harry began.

"He's not Fred, I am," one of the twins complained. "And I thought we were your friends, Harry."

"Sorry, Fred," Harry apologized.

The twin that had complained whispered into Blake's ear, "Only joking I am George."

Blake smiled. Her smile was warm and gentle.

"And Ginny," Harry continued. "And of course Hermione and Ron."

Everyone smiled at Blake and she couldn't help smiling back.

And just like that, Blake belonged.

They all sat together in the Great Hall laughing a talking. They enjoyed watching the ceremony for the first years. Of course Dumbledore went over the rules and "Filch Reminder".

"We also have another item to announce," Dumbledore said. "There was once a competition of great honor. Though it has not been put on because of high death toll."

"Death toll?" Ron repeated.

"But this year Hogwarts had the honor of hosting the Triwizard Tournament," Dumbledore said.

The hall went into an uproar. Blake gasped. Harry just looked around in confusion. He leaned over to Blake, who was sitting next to him, and whispered, "What it is the Triwizard Tournament?"

Blake explained that it was tournament with three life risking task. She told him that the tournament had not happened for years because it was so dangerous.

"We have invited two schools to participate in the competition," Dumbledore said. "Please welcome the students from the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and their Headmistress Madame Maxime."

The oak doors of the Great Hall burst open and in walked a group of students all dressed in sky blue uniforms. As the boys passed girls they would wink. One tall blond haired boys eyes popped when he saw Blake, but trying to hide his immediate attachment to her beauty, he winked. The girls would smile at boys. Walking among them was a beautiful girl with long blond hair. Ron spotted her almost the moment he walked she walked in. She was something to compare to Blake's beauty, but still there was something more natural about Blake.

Behind the crowd of students in sky blue uniforms was a tall, broad woman. She was the size of Hagrid. People gasped when they saw her. The group of students sat at the Ravenclaw table.

"Next we will welcome the students of the Durmstrang and their Headmaster Karkaroff," Dumbledore said.

A larger group of students dressed in red coats entered the hall. A gasp rippled through the students. Strutting forward at the front of the group was Viktor Krum, the greatest Seeker in the world. Walking next to Krom was a man with a triangular goatee. His robes were a dull white color. As he smiled at Dumbledore revealing a set of rotting teeth. Blake and Harry grimaced.

The Durmstrang students settled at the Slytherin table. As the Great Hall settled down Dumbledore spoke again.

"Considering the high death toll of the Triwizard Tournament," Dumbledore continued. "Students under the age of seventeen will not be allowed to enter their name for the tournament."

A protest surged out of the crowd. Fred and George jumped out of their seats and yelled.

"That's rubbish," Fred shouted.

"That's ridiculous," George yelled.

"Silence," Dumbledore barked.

Everyone settled down in an instant.

"To choose the worthy competitors for this tournament we use…," he paused. "The Goblet of Fire."

Hagrid came in through a door on the side of the Great Hall holding a huge wooden goblet with blue fire in it. Everyone watched as he set it in front of Dumbledore.

"You may put your name in the Goblet of Fire if you are seventeen or older," Dumbledore said. "But there is a word of caution to those who enter. You will be changed. You will face things that your school may or may not have prepared you for. You will face unknown challenges. Eternal glory awaits the winner of the Triwizard Tournament, but it has a price."

The whole hall was quiet. Not a sound could be heard.

"Now enough of that," he said. "Let us feast."

The tables filled with food of all kinds. Some weren't recognizable to Harry, Ron, Hermione or Blake. The seemed to foreign for the visitors. The students for Beauxbatons and Durmstrang seemed impressed with the food. The girl with bold hair came over to their table. She stood behind Ron. She cleared her throat was sitting across. He turned and his eyes popped. He choked on his chicken and he dropped his fork on the ground. She smiled at him.

"May I 'ave dat," she said sweetly, pointing to a foreign dish in front of Ron.

Ron nodded. He lifted it and placed in her hands. With a sweet smile she walked away.

"Honestly, Ron," Hermione said rolling her eyes.

Blake kept her head down as she ate. Now and then she would look up and see a group of Durmstrang boys winking and raising an eyebrow at her.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked when he noticed her shyness.

She looked up and smiled at him.

"Nothing," she tried to say cheerfully.

Harry raised both eyebrows.

"Really I'm fine," she said. "Honestly."

He shrugged and continued eating.

"This is delicious," Hermione said taking a bite of potato salad.

"Yeah, the house elves really outdid themselves this year," Fred said.

"House elves?" Hermione said.

Fred bit his lip.

"Nothing," George said.

"The house elves make our food?" Hermione said. "That is awful. They labor all day? Breakfast, lunch and dinner?"

"Nice going," George said.

Hermione put her fork down and refused to eat another bite. Harry stared at his food for a moment, shrugged and took another bite of chicken. Blake felt bad, but she knew that house elves didn't complain. They had worked all day on this food and, for all she knew, they would feel bad if people didn't eat it. She was going to point this out the Hermione, but decided not to.

Blake almost forgot about the announcement of the Triwizard Tournament as she laughed and talked with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Ginny and Neville. she would still occasionally glance at the Slytherin table and see the group of staring Durmstrang boys which Draco, Goyle and Crabbe had joined. They would smile, wink and raise an eyebrow. She rolled her eyes.

Once the feast was over many people scrambled toward the Slytherin table to get Krum's autograph. Ron tried, but soon gave up because he couldn't even get through the first wave of people.

"I'll get it later," he shrugged, but Hermione, Harry and Blake could tell her was upset.

Several Durmstrang students and Draco tried to follow Blake through the crowd, but she furried Ron, Hermione and Harry along. Once they made it to the Gryffindor common room the plopped on the couched.

"It's nice to be home again," Harry said as he warmed his hands at the fire.

Blake smiled.

"You have no idea," she whispered to herself.

* * *

**Just to let all my readers know, this is a rewrite of the Goblet of Fire so nothing is going to happen exactly like it did in the book. I do not own any of the Harry Potter character's, but Blake is my character.**


	4. Hiding

**Please comment and tell me what you think.**

* * *

The next morning the Goblet of Fire was out in the Entrance Hall. Around was a blue circle with a ten foot radius. People under seventeen were longingly looking at the cup. Students from Hogwarts that were old enough to put their name in would walk to the cup and place it in. Everyone around would cheer or clap. There didn't seem to be any students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons around.

Blake walked right to the Great Hall without even glancing at the cup. Harry, and Ron followed reluctantly. Hermione had decided not to come down for breakfast.

"I don't even see why the hang around there," Blake said, placing bacon, toast and an egg on her plate. "It's not like the age line will disappear if they stare at it."

"What? Age line?" Ron said piling pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausage onto his plate.

"That's what that blue line was on the floor," Harry answered.

The Great Hall doors open and a ruckus came from the doors. Blake turned around and saw a group of Durmstrang students walking over to the Slytherin table. To Ron's disappointment Krum was not with him.

Blake rolled her eyes and turned back to her food. She felt tired and worn out.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, I just stayed up pretty late," Blake said.

"Doing what?"

"Uh, just thinking," Blake said rubbing her eyes. As she did her sleeves fell down to her elbows revealing the wrap on her left arm.

"What's happened to your arm?" Ron asked, finally diverting his attention from the Durmstrang students. He pointed to her wrap as he stuffed a piece of bacon in his mouth. Hers eyes widened slightly in panic.

"Scratch," she said, trying to shrug off her surprise.

"You sure, you don't sound so sure," Harry said.

"I'm sure, why wouldn't I be?"

Harry and Ron shrugged.

Everybody seemed to be eating breakfast and those who weren't missed out on morning announcements.

"Students," Dumbledore said. "We have a few announcements. You will get you schedule, but classes will not start until tomorrow due to the ceremony tonight." He paused. "Second we would like to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Moody."

All the students had been oblivious to the figure hunkered over at the professors table. The figure wore an old brown coat the reached down to the ground. He was missing a leg. He looked up at the students and several gasped. In his eye socket was an electric blue eye that swiveled around in the socket. His other eye was beady and seemed to bore into the students. He had grizzled hair and complexion.

"That's Mad-Eye Moody," Ron marveled.

"Yes, he just told us that," Blake said.

"He was attacked by dustbins just a while ago," Ron said.

Harry and Blake gave him a weird look.

"Well, that's what my dad to me," Ron said.

Harry shrugged and Blake rolled her eyes.

After the shock of having such an odd teacher went away, breakfast was quiet.

Professor Mcgonagall started coming up and down the rows handing out schedules. When she reached Ron she gave him his schedule, then Harry, but she skipped Blake.

"Umm… Professor, you skipped Blake," Harry said.

McGonagall raised her eyebrows at Harry.

"That is clearly none of your business, Mr. Potter," she said. "Blake please meet me in my office after breakfast."

Blake nodded. Harry bit his lip and Ron held in a laugh once McGonagall had moved on he couldn't help it.

"You got in trouble on the first day," he said. Harry elbowed him.

"I'm not in trouble Ronald," she said. "I have to organize my schedule."

Harry and Ron gave her a questioning look, but they didn't press the subject.

After breakfast Harry and Ron went out to watch people put their names in the cup. Hermione was now watching.

"I'll be back," Blake said, and she headed to Professor McGonagall's office.

The doors of the Entrance Hall opened and in walked Victor Krum. He ignored the gawking crowd as he made his way to the cup. When he placed his name in the cup a bunch of Durmstrang students cheers, but no one else did. When he exited the hall burst into whispers.

"That was Victor Krum," Ron chattered.

"We are well aware, Ron," Hermione said.

After the whispered died down Blake was back.

"That was fast," Harry commented.

"Just a clarification about my schedule," Blake explained.

Harry saw her that she now had her schedule. He glanced at it, but she quickly crumpled it into her fist.

"Wait… you have Defense Against the Dark Arts at the same time as Ron, Hermione and I," Harry said. "I thought you were a fifth year."

"I'm am, but I'm not," she said.

"What?" Ron said.

"Explain," Hermione demanded.

"Well, I am on fourth year lessons, but I am old enough to be a fifth year. I'm fifteen, no fourteen," she briefly explained.

"And…" Harry encouraged.

"Well, I guess when I was suppose to get my letter they didn't know I had any magical ability. So I got it a year later."

Hermione, Harry and Ron pondered this for a moment.

"I've never heard of that happening before," Hermione thought aloud.

Blake shrugged and hurried away to the Gryffindor common room before the asked anymore questions.

"See ya," she called back to them as she made her way up the stairs.

When she got to the common room she slouched down into an armchair and sigh contently. No one was around. They were all eating or watching people put their name in the cup. She was glad to be alone and to have no classes for the day.

After she relaxed in the silence for a moment she went to the dormitory and got a quill and parchment. Then she settled back into the chair and began to write:

**Dear Mom,**

**I miss you so much, already. I am glad to be at Hogwarts. I can keep my mind off… life. So something new unexpectedly popped up. The Triwizard Tournament is being held at Hogwarts this year. I'm so excited. Guess what else? I actually have made some friends. I never thought I would, but I have. They are great. First there is Hermione Granger, she is a muggle bore, but smarted than any Gryffindor I know. Next is Ron Weasley, he is pure-blood. Last (you won't believe this) is Harry Potter. Of course you know everything there is to know about Harry Potter. I never thought that I could be friends with Harry Potter. I know that could result in a catastrophe in later years so I have to be careful. Being me… I have to be careful of being friends with Harry Potter. All my new friends are rather curious about me. I am the one wanting to get to know them while they all want to get to know me. They saw my wrap on my arm and I had to make up some lame excuse to stop them from asking questions about it. I know I have to keep it a secret. I didn't tell you this because I didn't want you to worry, but I kind of feel like I should. For a while I've felt bottled up. I want to share with someone what is going in my life, but I can't. I feel trapped. I don't really know what to do. I'll just have to confide in Hagrid for now.**

** Love,**

** Blake**

Blake reread her letter and decided it was all she could express in writing. She sealed it in an envelope and decided to send it later.

She sat back again and let the fact that she was at Hogwarts. Safe from being found. She felt like she was starting a new childhood that was actually worth remembering. She had friends and everything seemed perfect. She thought so anyway. Until that night at the Triwizard Champion Ceremony that could change Harry's fate and maybe her own.


	5. Champions

Blake spent most of the day in the dormitory. She wasn't in the mood to see anyone. The only time she left was to deliver the letter. She was exiting the common room when she ran into Hermione.

"Blake, Ron and Harry were looking for you," she reported.

"Why?"

"Because we haven't seen you since after breakfast," Hermione said like it was the most obvious thing. "We wanted to know if you were okay. Well, you look fine. It was actually because Harry and Ron are bored out of their minds. They wanted to see if you wanted you play wizards chess. I guess classes did them both some good. Kept them occupied."

She walked past Blake into the common room. Blake just shrugged and headed to the owlery. She hurried along and was soon in the owlery, but one she arrived she wished she wasn't there. Standing there was Draco and some Durmstrang kids. Draco was showing off his eagle owl.

"Oh, hey gorgeous," Draco said.

She avoided eye contact as she searched the perches for her owl.

"What do you say you and eye take a stroll after the ceremony?"

Unexpectedly Draco came up behind her and latched his arms around her waist. She jumped and elbowed him in the gut.

"Take that as a no," she snapped.

He smiled slyly, "She is always doing this."

The Durmstrang students laughed.

Blake quickly found her owl. She had a beautiful tawny owl with deep green eyes.

"Hello, Emerald," she said. Despite her impatience, she patiently waited for the owl to take the letter from her. "To Mom."

At this Emerald flew off.

"Well, I must be going," Blake said to the crowd of boys.

She hurried down the steps, but heard footsteps behind her. She was relieved to hear that it was only one, but not so to find it was Draco's footsteps.

"Wait, what is your name?"

"Blake," she replied and left without anymore talk.

The rest of the evening she spent in the common room or the dorms. She didn't really speak to anyone. No one really noticed her anyway. She knew that no one would and she liked it like that. Several years of being ignored made her think that it was too late to be noticed.

She didn't see Harry or Ron until dinner. They were soaked as the came running into the hall. Ron had a chess board under his arm.

"Where were you?" Blake and Hermione asked.

"We were outside playing chess and it started to rain," Harry explained.

Blake smiled, but Harry realized something about her smile was bit off, but he brushed the thought aside.

"But forget about us, has anything exciting happen?" Ron asked.

"When does it ever?"

"Well-oh- did you hear what happened to Fred and George?" Ron asked. "It was hilarious."

"What?"

"Well, the showed up in the Entrance Hall with aging potions to get past the age line, ya know," Ron said. "And of course Hermione went on telling them how it wasn't going to work. And of course the didn't listen to her so the drank it down and hopped into the circle. Before they could even make it halfway to the middle, their chins started growing beards. It was wicked!"

Then they were hauled off to the hospital wing to get it removed," Harry added.

"Serves them right," Hermione commented.

"Attention!" came Dumbledore's voice from the front of the Great Hall. "After our meal we will have selecting of the champions."

A roar of delight issued from the students of Hogwarts, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons.

The food appeared and people ate merrily and anxiously awaiting the evening events that would soon unfold.

Hermione ate little, she was obviously still pondering on the fact the the house elves had prepared it. Blake, though, decided that they could get offended if it was not eaten. Of course the thought didn't pass over Ron's mind at all.

Everyone ate quickly because they were all anxious for the ceremony. As people began pushing their plates away, the Great Hall chatter began to die. Soon everyone was looking expectantly up at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore stood, "We will now see who the three champions."

Flich came in caring the cup. He set it on a pedestal in front of Dumbledore. The fire in the cup went from blue to red and out of it flew a piece of paper. Dumbledore grasped the paper as it drifted down.

"The Beauxbatons Academy of Magic champion is…," Dumbledore paused. "Fleur Delacour."

The hall burst into cheers, especially the students of Beauxbatons. The beautiful girl with long blond hair stood and walked gracely up to the front and Professor Mcgonagall pointed her to the direction of a side room. Ron watched dreamily as she exited the hall.

The cheering died and another name flew out of the cup.

"And the Durmstrang Champion is… Viktor Krum," Dumbledore said.

The hall now was filled with twice the noise. Krum walked to the front and disappeared into the side door.

"I knew it," Ron whispered to Harry.

"Sure you did," Harry said, rolling his eyes.

After a long time the noise died down and the last name flew out of the cup. Everyone waited intently to hear the Hogwarts champion.

"The Hogwarts champion is," Dumbledore paused. "Cedric Diggory."

"No!" Ron said.

"That bastard," Fred and George said in unison.

Other than some of the Gryffindors, Hogwarts burst into ear splitting heers. Cedric walked confidently up to the front, flashing a charming smile here and there.

"He thinks he's all that," Dean mumbled.

Blake just clapped along with everyone else.

"Now the three champions have been chosen and the First Task will be announced in due time," Dumbledore announced. "Now..."

But he didn't get much farther when another paper flew into the air from the Goblet of Fire. It drifted down and Dumbledore snatched it out of the air. His eyes became wide.

"Harry… Potter," he said stunned. Blake gasped and grasped for Harry's hand. She gripped it tightly. Harry stared forward.

"Harry Potter," Dumbledore repeated. Hermione pushed Harry up. His hand slipped out of Blake's. Blake watched warily as Harry walked slowly to the front. No one cheered only whispered could be heard. Blake glanced at Ron and saw a look of anger on his face.

Professor Mcgonagall indicated the door. She had sad look on her face. Hagrid shook his head in despair. Harry spotted Mad-Eye Moody who had an unreadable expression laying across his face.

Harry walked down steps into a large room. Many pictures lined the walls and gathered around the fireplace was the three champions. When they saw Harry their eyes filled with surprise, but that changed. Krum glared, Fleur turned away and Cedric stared at Harry with a look of pity and surprise.

From behind him came the three headmasters, Barty and Mcgonagall.

"Harry, did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?" Dumbledore inquired.

"No, I couldn't," Harry said.

"'E is lying," Madam Maxime said.

"Well, of course he is," Karkaroff said.

"I didn't," Harry insisted.

"How could he?" Mcgonagall asked. "The age line could not be manipulated and the goblet itself has it's own securities. Potter would have to be entered in the place of another school."

They all argued for several minutes. Harry just stood almost unaware of his surroundings, but a ruckus from the door brought him back to reality. Standing in the door was Mad-Eye Moody and behind him was Blake. A look of fear on her face.

"This girls name has just been emitted from the Goblet of Fire," Moody announced. "She is our fifth champion."


	6. Save the Demon of Beauty

Harry longed for the energy to step forward and reach out to Blake, to comfort her, but he felt frozen in place.

"Another Hogwarts champion?" Karkaroff boomed.

"Hogwarts now gets three bites of de apple," Madam Maxime said.

The arguing continued. Blake slouched against the wall and hugged her legs to her chest. A tear fell down her face. Harry took several steps forward and knelt down in front of her.

"Blake," he whispered. She turned her head away and her hair fell in front of her face. He took her hand, but she pulled it away

"Then it is settle," Barty said. "They must compete."

Harry glanced up.

"The two fourth years will act as a team and the Triwizard Tournament with continue as planned."

Everyone nodded, but no one was particularly happy with the turnout. Soon Madam Maxime and Karkaroff left with their champions. As Barty excited he nodded to Harry. Mad-Eye Moody left with a grim, satisfied smile on his face.

Soon the only people in the room was Harry, Mcgonagall Dumbledore, Blake and Cedric.

"Off to bed with you three," Mcgonagall demanded. "It has been a busy day and you three have classes tomorrow."

Harry and Cedric nodded. Harry help Blake to her feet and they exited the room. Blake did not look at Harry and he didn't get a glimpse of her face. The Great Hall was empty now.

"So, two extra champions," Cedric said for sake of conversation. "Never heard of that before."

"Yeah," Harry said.

"Well, Potter tell me, how did you put your name in the cup?"

"I didn't."

"Don't be modest."

"I really didn't, I swear."

"Whatever. How about you?" he asked Blake. She didn't turn her head to look at him.

"Do you think I am stupid enough to do such a thing," came a voice that didn't seem to belong to Blake, but it was. It was eerie and full of pain and hate. Harry looked at her. He wanted to see her eyes, but her face had hair over it.

Cedric eyes went wide, "Well, everyone would want the eternal glory that comes with winning the tournament."

"Not everyone," Blake said, her voice still eerie.

"She has a point," Harry whispered solemnly.

The now stood in the Entrance Hall.

"well, see ya," Cedric said.

Harry and Blake made their way up to the Gryffindor common room. Harry longed to say something to her, but didn't know what. All in less than a few hours Blake had changed from kind to someone Harry didn't even recognize.

"Blake, what's wrong?" was all he could manage.

"Why do you care?" she said sharply.

"You aren't the Blake I became friends with."

"This is the Blake you met on the train, this is the real Blake."

Harry realized she was right. This was the actually Blake. Had she just been pretending to be kind to satisfy him, Hermione and ron? Harry grabbed her hand and sat her down on the stairs. Tell me he said trying to look in

"There is more than mystery behind you and I becoming champions. Someone wanted us both to be champions. Someone placed our names in the goblet under different school names to ensure we made it into the tournament," Blake said. "People die in this tournament. Someone wants us dead or.. has entered us for a much worse reason."

Worse than death? Harry wondered.

"Blake look at me," Harry demanded.

Blake slowly turned her head and Harry gasped at the look in her eyes. It was almost inhuman. Her pupils were slightly silted. In her eyes burned hatred and pain. She almost looked like a demon… _a demon of beauty_.

"For you and my mother," Blake said. "I will pretend. I will pretend to be kind and caring. I will pretend to be a friend. I will hide my true self, my pain and hatred."

Mother? Harry thought.

Blake stood and walked to the top of the stairs. She turned back to Harry who still sat on the stairs.

"What tortured you in your childhood," he asked almost in a whisper.

"Many thing. Too many to count," she said. "I may tell you some day, but don't count on it." Harry stood and ran to the top of the stairs.

"I will count on it… some day," Harry said. They walked to the common room and entered. Blake brushed the hair out of her face. When they entered a wall of cheers filled the common room. Balek put on a smile, but Harry knew what was hidden behind it. They were celebrated. Harry told them that they would act as a team.

after many congratulations everyone began going to bed. Now the only people left in the common room was Blake, Harry, Hermione and Neville.

"Where is Ron?" Harry asked.

"Uh, he went to bed early," Hermione said.

Blake bit her lip, then smiled.

"Neville how has your day been?" she asked.

"Umm, fine," he said.

Harry watched Blake as she had a casual friendly conversation with Neville. He mourned over how much was buried under that smile. He knew he could never be able to look at her in the same way. She was happy when she smiled or laughed, she was pretending. Pretending for him, for her mother. How much did it hurt to bury to satisfy someone. If he didn't know he would look at her and think her to be happy. He would think her laugh and smile were real. He wondered how often she had to pretend for the sake of others. How often she had to hide the hatred and pain that haunted her.

'Childhood. What was her's like? What had happened to cause such pain and hatred that you would have to pretend it wasn't there, for others?' Harry wondered. 'How could they not see how fake her smile is? How had I not seen it myself?'

What Harry did know what she cared for others. She wouldn't pretend if she didn't care. It was almost like she had to different personalities, one real, one fake.

As Harry watched her he could see, when she glanced away from Neville, that a flash of her true self would play about her eyes. He wondered why he hadn't noticed before. He cursed himself for it.

Soon everyone retreated to bed except Harry and Blake. Since no one was around Harry expected her to drop her act, but she didn't. She smiled at him.

"You should probably head up to bed," she said. "We have classes in the morning."

He nodded and headed up the stairs to the boys dormitory. He got half way up the stairs when he heard a small cry from the common room. He looked back around the corner to see Blake curled up on an armchair in front of the dying fire. She hugged her legs with one arm and with her free hand she covered her mouth to muffle her cries. He saw the tears start to pour down her face. He could barely hear a muffled agonized scream as she screamed into her hand.

He now realized how hard it was for her to fake it all, to push aside the misery and hate. He slouched down on the stairs and sat there for sometime, listening to the agonizing cries. Each muffled scream crushed his heart. He longed to go out there and comfort her, but he knew she would not be pleased if she found out he was there. Then he heard her whisper something though her cries. She may have whispered it to the dark, or the burning coals or maybe to Hogwarts itself. But what escaped her lips tore at Harry.

"Save me," came her whisper. "Save me from my agony."

Harry didn't wish to hear anymore so he stood and walked silently up the steps. The dormitory was silent except for the steady even breathing of the four boys that now slept. Harry climbed into his bed and pulled the covers up. Then he made a promise to the darkness, to her.

"No matter what, no matter how, I make this promise to you," Harry whispered in the dark. "I will save you."


	7. The Unforgivable Curses

Harry woke up early the next morning, and it all hit him. Everything that had happened pounded down on him. He got on his school robes and was fixing his sleeves when Ron awoke. Ron glared and turned away.

"What's your problem?" Harry asked.

"Oh, what's my problem you say," Ron said turning around.  
"Yeah, you got a problem tell me."

"Isn't it obvious? You and Blake got into the tournament and you didn't even let me in on it," Ron said. "You met her only two days ago and it's like you are best friends."

"Don't you dare say a thing against her," Harry said. "We didn't ask for this to happen. We didn't sneak your names into the cup."

"Whatever. Anyways, this is all your fault."

"Mine?!"

"Yeah, yours," Ron spat. "You're the one who became friends with her in the first place. We hardly know anything about her and we treat her like one of us."

"She is one of us!" Harry shouted. "Look, just leave Blake out of this. If you want to be mad at me go ahead, but she has enough on her plate."

Harry stormed down the steps, but soon stopped when he saw Blake still curled on the armchair. He went over to her and saw that she was sleeping. He shook her slightly and her eye fluttered open. For a split second Harry could see the hidden Blake, with slightly slit eye full of agony, but when she blinking it was gone. She looked at Harry and gasped. She jumped us and smiled. She was still in her robes which were now slightly wrinkled.

"Morning," he said, trying to act like nothing had changed from when they first met.

"Good morning Harry," she said. "Shall we go down to breakfast."

Harry nodded and then headed to breakfast side by side. When they entered the Great Hall Blake got some looks from Draco. She looked away and headed to the Gryffindor table.

They both ate in silence. Neither Ron or Hermione joined them for breakfast. They headed off to their first classes with only a little small talk here and there. As Harry walked alone to his first class he realized how hard it was going to be to pretend that Blake was the Blake she pretended to be. But he had to.

The day dragged on and before he knew it, it was time for lunch. He slouched down on the bench next to Fred and George. Hermione soon joined them.

"Where's Blake?" Harry asked.

"I don't know," Hermione said looking around. "And Ron?"

"What do I care," Harry murmured.

"Have you guys been to Moody's yet?" George said.

"No."

"You'll love it. He is the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this place has had in years," Fred said.

"He'll probably be gone next year though," George said. "You know, the curse."

Hermione rolled her eye, "I don't think anyone could be better than Lupin."

"They both cut pretty close."

"We have him next Hermione," Harry said. He couldn't help getting a little excited.

Just then, Blake came walked toward them a tired look on her face.

"What's up?" Fred asked.

"Your brother, Ronald, is a handful," she said with a small side smile.

"What happened?"

"He was moping and griping about Harry being in the tournament."

Harry rolled his eyes. They all ate with some friendly conversation and when lunch was over Harry couldn't help, but jump up.

"Blake, what's your next class?"

"Defense Against the Dark Arts," she said.

"Great, me too," he said with a sincere smile.

They walked with Hermione to the DADA room and found Moody scrawling on the chalkboard. Kid were already filing into the classroom.

"Hurry and take your seats," Moody snapped.

Everyone hurried to a seat. Hermione went across the room to sit next to Ron while Harry sat with Blake.

"Let us begin," Moody said in a gruff voice. His electric blue I swiveled around in his head, but his real eye focused forward. "I am Professor Moody, I am your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Any questions? No? Good!"

He turned and scrawled a few more unreadable notes on the board.

"Mr. Finnegan take your seat." Moody said gruffly, his back still turned

Seamus had just walked in late. Seamus did as told with a confused look on his face.

"In today's lesson I will be showing you the… Unforgivable Curses," Moody said.

Harry saw Blake tense up.

"Does anyone know how many the Unforgivable Curse there are?"

Hermione raised her hand.

"Miss Granger."

"Three, sir," she said. "They are named because they are unforgivable. Using anyone of them can earn you a sentence to Azkaban."

"Can anyone tell me?"

Several people raised their hands. Hermione raised hers again, no surprise there, but Ron did as well. Harry had the feeling the Blake also knew, but she didn't raise her hand.

"Mr. Weasley," Moody said. "Tell me."

"I know of one, my dad told me," Ron said. "The Imperius Curse."

"Ah, you dad would no a bit about that," Moody said. "Gave the ministry some grief several years ago."

No pursuing the subject, Moody pulled a spider out of a jar on his desk, which contained three spiders. He placed it on the table, but before it could scurry away he pointed his wand at it and said, "Imperio."

The spider began to dance and hop around the room. Harry laughed with everyone else, but he glanced at Blake and saw a dark look on her face. Hermione wasn't laughing either. He immediately stopped laughed.

"I could make her drown herself or jump out the window," he said. "It is a terrible thing to control another mind."

He put the spider back in the jar and fished out another one.

"Now, give me another one."

To Harry's surprise Neville timidly raised his hand.

"Yes, Mr. Longbottom is it?"

Neville nodded, "There's the… the…"

"Spit it out, boy."

"The Cruciatus Curse."

"Yes, that's it." Moody set the spider down and pointed his wand at it, "Crucio."

The spider began to twitch and scurry around in a circle frantically. Soon it began to wither on the ground. Neville tried to look away, but his eyes were glued in horror. Suddenly Blake and Hermione jumped up, but Blake was one step ahead of Hermione.

"Stop it!" Hermione shouted. "Can't you see what you are doing to him"

Blake pointed her wand at Moody, "Expelliarmus."

Moody's wand flew out of his hand and the spider immediately stopped struggling. Moody glared at Blake he bent down and picked up his wand.

"Miss Eden, is it?"

Blake nodded. Harry realized this was the first time he heard her last name. Blake led Neville back to his seat. Harry thought she was done, but she turned and glared at Moody.

"Those curses are illegal for a reason," she said. She turned and began to walk back to her seat.

"Blake _R_. Eden," he said, putting stress on the "R". "If I understand correctly you know of someone specializes in these curses. And as I also understand it, you have been involved in something ever more brutal."

Blake stopped dead in her tracks.

"How do you know?"

"I was told," Moody said. "After all, I'm an Auror. I make it my business to know this kind of thing. To keep an eye on you."

Harry watched Blake. Her expression was stone faced, unreadable.

"How do you know?" she repeated.

Moody, this time, did not answer.

She began walking, but she didn't stop and sit next to Harry, she went right on going, out the door.

There was a long pause.

'Does anyone know the last curse?" Moody said as if nothing had happened. Nobody raised their hand. "Miss Granger, would you care to tell the class."

Hermione shook her head.

"The Killing Curse," Moody took the last spider out of the jar and set it on the desk. "Avada Kedavra," he said in a seething whisper. The spider dropped dead.

Everyone stared in horror.

"Only one person was said to survive it," Moody said. "And he is sitting in this room."

Both Moody's eyes focused on Harry, which put Harry on edge. They locked eye contact for a moment, but Harry looked away.

"Class dismissed," he said.

The last class went by fast and Harry found himself in the common room, slouching in one of the armchairs. He sat there for a moment then started homework (with Hermione's help). But Hermione soon left to help Ron. Harry had to manage on his own. At ten o'clock, as the common room as beginning to empty, Blake walked into the common room.

"Where have you been?" Harry asked.

"Busy," she said. She gave him a pained smile.

People whispered to each other as she sat down next to Harry things like "That's her, she's the one that did it." or "I can't believe she did that to a professor."

She completely ignored them and pulled out some homework. She sighed as she began to work. Harry worked without saying a word to her for quite some time. It almost didn't seem right. Soon everyone was up in bed except Harry and Blake. Finally Blake put her parchment and quill away. She looked at Harry and he locked her gaze.

"Harry, listen to me," she said. "I know it is hard for you, but you have to treat me like you did when we met. I want you to forget what you saw of me last night. I wish it never happened, but I couldn't help it. Promise me, you will forget."

Harry sighed, "Blake, I won't be able to forget, but I promise I will treat you like I did."

Blake nodded. She pulled her bag up onto her shoulder and began to walk away, but before she walked up the steps to her dormitory she turned back to look at Harry.

"I know you heard me crying last night," she said in a whisper.

Harry was shocked for a moment, but he gained composure and stood, "I may never find the courage to ask you so again I ask what tortured you in your childhood."

Blake looked down at the ground, "Again I reply, many things, too many to count. I may tell you some day. So if you ever want to know, you will have to find the courage to ask again, but not now."

She turned and walked up the stairs without a glance back or anything. Harry stared after her for a moment then sighed.

What's the point? he asked himself.


	8. The Weighing of the Wands

The next morning Harry was rudely awakened by Hermione.

"Hermione how… why?" he mumbled.

"You are needed for the weighing of wands," she said. "Now."

"The what."

She pulled him out of bed, "Just get dressed and come down stairs." She ran out of the room before he could protest. He quickly dressed into his robes and ran down stairs. Blake was waiting for him.

"Come, we are late," she urged.

"For what."

She rolled her eyes and grabbed his wrist and began pulling him out the Gryffindor common room. In the Entrance Hall the other three champions were gathered. Ludo Bagman, the three headmasters, Ollivander, a cameraman and a woman that Harry had never seen before were congregated there. She had blond hair that had curls in it and wore jewel spectacles. She had a crocodile skin bag and an acid green quill. When she saw Blake pulling Harry down the stairs she scratched something on a notepad.

"Ah, Harry," Ludo said.

Blake released his wrist and wandered over to Professor Dumbledore.

"What is this?"

"It is the Weighing of the the Wands Ceremony. It is just to ensure that your wand is fully functional, that's all," Ludo said with a smile. "Is this your partner for the tournament?" he asked indicating Blake.

Harry nodded.

Ludo wandered away.

Harry came up behind Blake and smiled trying hard to treat her like he didn't know.

"Harry is here, shall we start?" Dumbledore said.

Ollivander nodded.

As Ollivander inspected everyone's wands Harry's thoughts began to wander. He wondered who the woman with the blond hair and spectacles, but he would soon find that out.

Olivander inspected Harry's wand.

"And last Blake Eden," Ollivander said after he had handed Harry's wand to him. "May I see your wand?"

Blake presented her wand to him and he inspected it. He seems to hold it with caution.

"Ah, yes. I remember this wand," he said. "Holly, 11 and a half inches, unyielding and the most rare core beyond all I've made…"

He paused. He did not say what the core was, instead he continued on, "It is… unyielding."

He handed it back to her precariously. Then he smiled slightly, "all seems to be in order."

Blake backed up, tucking her wand away. Krum, Fleur and Cedric were giving her suspicious looks.

"Now that all that is over let me get started," the blond woman said. "Hello, I'm Rita Skeeter, I write for the Daily Prophet, but of course you knew that." She shook everyone's hand except Blake's who declined. She winked and continued speaking, "We want to know you. shall we begin?"

The five champions were not sure how to respond. She pursed her lips, "Shall we start will the two children? Perfect."

She pulled Blake and Harry and led them to a broom closet on the side of the entrance Hall. She pushed them in and closed the door. Floating candles lit the room. She sat down and indicated for them to do the same. Harry sat on a crate, but Blake declined and leaned against the wall. She pulled a note pad and the acid green quill out of her bag.

"Don't like me, hm?" Rita said to Blake. "Well, that's too bad. Now Harry, do mind if use a Quick Quotes Quill?"

"Sure," Harry said with a shrug.

Blake opened her mouth to protest, but Rita was not concerned with her.

"So Harry everyone knows your story," Rita said. As she spoke the quill began scribbling itself across the paper. Harry looked at it curiously. "Ignore the quill. Here you are, a champion of the Triwizard Tournament who will soon compete against students who have mastered spells that you wouldn't attempt in your daydreams."

Harry was slightly taken aback by this so he didn't answer. Even without him answering she continued on.

"Do you think that such a lonely, traumatic life could lead you to enter you name in the tournament?"

"I didn't enter," Harry insisted still nervous about the quill that wrote quickly.

"Of course not," she said with a wink. "Why not admit it? You are a rebel. everyone will love that."

"But I didn't," Harry said a little annoyed. "Why would I want to enter myself in a life risking tournament?"

She ignored his question and smiled, "If your parents were live would that be proud or concerned that you would enter yourself in such a dangerous tournament?"

Harry bit his lip, "I… I don't...er... really know. Look, my eyes aren't swimming with the ghosts of my past."

"Hmm, now Miss Eden," she said looking up at Blake. "Everyone already knows about the famous Harry Potter. It's you we don't know. You just appeared out of no where. What's it like to suddenly be more than someone in the background?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Blake spat.

Rita just smiled, "I'm sure my readers."

Blake just glared.

"Well, let me ask," Rita said. "How do you feel being a partner with the most famous wizard of his generation? Do you feel special?"

"I feel honored and protected," she said shortly.

"Hm, what sort of relationship do you have with Harry?"

"We're just friends," Blake said so dryly that it almost hurt Harry.

"Just friends?" Rita repeated. "Do you feel at all insignificant that no one has noticed you until now?"

"I prefer not being noticed," Blake said.

"Oh, then why did you enter in such a tournament if you are bound to be entered?"

"I didn't enter," Blake said sharply.

Harry could hear her true self of hate and misery.

"You two are such rebels," Rita said. "Back to you Harry, what would you say your relationship with Blake is?"

"uh, we're friends," Harry said.

"Don't hide how much you like her," Rita said.

"What? I do like her, but as a close friend," Harry said raising his voice

"No need to get angry," Rita said. "Do you know anything about her? Do you recall her from years before? Do you know anything of her past or what seemed so peculiar about her wand?" She shot these questions at him as if Blake were no longer in the room. "Do you think she's a want-to- be? Did it ever occur to you that she entered to get close to you?"

Harry glanced up at Blake and saw a look of anger on her face, but a tear escaped her eye.

"Leave her alone," Harry demanded.

Just as he said that Dumbledore opened the door.

"Sorry, Miss Skeeter," Dumbledore said. "But that champions have other things to do. You may get you picture and go."

Rita sighed. She put her things in her bag and stood, "Well I got what I wanted."

Blake was first to leave. She didn't even wait for Harry as she made her way up the staircase back to the Gryffindor common room. Harry hurried after her, ignoring the questioning stares of everyone that had now congregated in the Entrance Hall.

"Blake wait," Harry said. He finally caught up to her in the common room, it was empty. People were probably finishing up breakfast and enjoying the warm day. She stood still with her back to him. Harry placed his hand on her shoulder. She turned around and smiled. She had a tear streaks on her face, but she quickly wiped them away.

"are you okay?"

"Of course," she said. Harry knew she was just acting tough.

"You sure."

"yes," she said with a reassuring smile, but it wasn't very reassuring to Harry.

"Okay, do you want to go and get breakfast with me?"

Harry expected her to say no. He thought she would decline so she could go hide away in her dormitory and maybe cry. He didn't want her to do that, but he knew he couldn't control her.

"I'll come," she said as if she knew that he thought she would decline.

Harry walked with her to the Great Hall. She had a smile on her face and not a trace of hate or pain could be seen on her smiled at Fred and George as the exited the Great Hall. She was so good at hiding her true feelings. He would never know if she hadn't told him.

He wondered what it would be like to live like that? To never let anyone see that you were always hurting. It all pounded down on him until he had to stop thinking about it.

He didn't ever think about it long enough to get to the point that it might occur to him that there was still more underneath her mask. More pain, more hate, more lies, more misery, more secrets. All he could see was her hate and her fake happiness and it never crossed his mind that she might be scared, too.


	9. Without

One morning while Harry and Blake ate breakfast, Ron was confronted by Malfoy.

"Your father was in the Daily Prophet. Loads about his mess up with the Muggle policemen. Does your father mess up or does he mess up?," Malfoy said. "There was a picture of your mum and dad as well. Tell me is your mom really that stout or was it just the picture?"

"Your one to talk," Harry spat. Though he was still upset with Ron, Harry could not take anyone bad mouthing Mrs. Weasley. "Your mum's nose is always scrunched up like dung is being held under it. Tell me does she always look like that or was it because you are with her?"

"You shut up about my mother," Malfoy snapped.

Harry turned and felt a shock just miss his ear.

"No you don't," came a shout.

Harry whirled around to see Moody and a pure white ferret where Malfoy had been standing.

"You shouldn't curse people while their back is turned. The most cowardly…," he began, but his voice was drowned out by laughter as Malfoy began being flipped up into the air.

"What are you doing?" Professor Mcgonagall asked, just arriving.

"Teaching."

"Teach… is that a student?"

"Yes, but it's more proper to call him a ferret."

"We never use transfiguration as a punishment," she roared. "Dumbledore was sure to have told you that?"

"Might have mentioned it," Moody said scratching his chin, completely unconcerned.

"You are suppose to address their head of house or administer a detention," Mcgonagall said.

"Well, then…," as Moody spoke Malfoy popped back into a human and stood muttering angrily.

"My father will hear about this," he spat

"Your father eh," Moody said gruffly. "You think that frightens me. I got a lot down on him, I do. Now Mr. Malfoy shall we go address Professor Snape?"

He grabbed Malfoy by the arm and led him out of the hall.

Ron was slouched down on the ground laughing. Hermione crouched next to him trying to calm him down.

"Ron, it wasn't that funny," she said, but she was also trying hard not to laugh.

"This… is the.. best day… of my life," Ron gasped.

"You're welcome," Harry spat.

Ron looked up at him, "Thanks Harry for what you did."

"well, I didn't do it for you, I did it for your mum," Harry said and marched away.

"Boys," Hermione said helping Ron onto his feet.

Blake stood and ran after Harry, "Harry why don't you just make up?"

"He started it."

"And your continuing it. If you guys don't fix this soon it will drive me crazy, and I'll have to finish it."

Harry sighed, but didn't answer. They headed down to Hagrid's cabin for Care of Magical Creatures lesson. He looked ecstatic when they approached. In front of him were several crates and what was in them caused Harry and Blake to screw up their faces in disgust.

Inside were fleshy creatures with stingers that seemed to have no head. Every now and then fire would shoot out of it's hind quarters and it would be propelled several inches forwards.

"What are those?" Dean asked, who had just arrived.

"Blast Ended Skrewts," Hagrid said.

"What do they do?" Malfoy asked, who, also, had just arrived probably from Snape's office.

"Uh, well… that's next lesson." Hagrid said.

The lesson was not very enjoyable because they tried to find out what the Skrewts liked to eat which Harry saw no point since they had no visible mouths. As they headed back up to the castle Harry tried to point out some good things about the lesson.

"At least they aren't huge and dangerous," Harry said.

"But who knows, once Hagrid finds out what they eat they could become huge," Blake pointed out.

A few days went by and classes were dull and dreary. No one seemed to be in the mood for boring classes because of all the excitement over the Triwizard Tournament. Both Harry and Blake were practically followed down the hallway bombarded with questions on how they did it. Ron still refused to talk to Harry and Harry was perfectly fine with that. If Ron was going to be jealous there was nothing he could do about it. Blake hated the questions and attention she was getting. Many people actually said to her face "Where did you come from?" or "Never seen you before." Harry told them off for saying things like that.

Harry was already tired of work, the teachers showing no mercy. Blake was constantly helping him with homework and he was constantly getting frustrated.

"Ugh, I don't get it," Harry said over some Transfiguration homework on afternoon during their lunch hour. "Can't we just do this tonight?"

"No, why not finish it now so you don't have to worry about it later,?" Blake suggested.

"I guess you're right."

They were almost done with the rest of their homework when a tap came out the window. A tawny owl sat on the window sill with a letter in its mouth. Blake walked over and opened the window, letting the owl in. she took the letter from its beak and caressed it gently.

"Thanks Emerald," she said.

"That's your owl."

"Obviously."

Blake sank down into an armchair and opened the letter. She smiled when she saw her mothers hand writing.

_Dear Blake_

_I'm so glad you are having a great time at Hogwarts. You seem to be happy and that gives me some relief. Having friends will be good for you. But are you really happy or are you just putting on an act? You know I don't like it when you pretend. Please be cautious with your friendship with Harry Potter. I am glad you have some friends, but be careful, don't get too attached. If you feel like you need to tell someone just talk to Hagrid. Do not tell anyone else. We don't know how much trouble it may cause. Be careful._

_Love, __Mom_

"Well, that's cheerful," Harry said over her shoulder.

"Ah," Blake surprise almost caused her to fall out of her chair.

"What does she mean to be cautious?"

"Nothing. Don't read my letter," she said. She swiped all her stuff of the table into her bag and hurried to her dormitory.

"What about our homework?" Harry called.

"Do the rest yourself," she snapped.

Harry sat stunned on her abruptness. He didn't mean to read the letter, but when he glimpsed his name he couldn't resist. He sighed and put his stuff away, now not in the mood to do homework. He had so many questions buzzing in his head. What was there to be cautious about with a friendship? What wasn't she suppose to tell anyone but Hagrid? This was only a small amount of the questions he kept asking himself and was dying to ask Blake. His mind also constantly wandered to what happened the first day in Defense Against the Dark Arts.

His thoughts were interrupted by a tap on the window. Outside waited his beautiful snowy owl, Hedwig. She had a small bit of paper clasped in her beak. He let her in and took the letter. She nipped his ear affectionately as he read the scrawled handwriting, undoubtedly Hagrids.

_Harry,_

_Come down to the hut tonight. Bring your cloak and your Blake, You'll see what you're up against. I won't tell you no more, but you'll be glad you came._

_Hagrid_

Harry was now very curious about a number of things. He waited for the bell ring and waited for Blake to walk to class. She came down trying to avoid eye contact. He handed her the note from Hagrid without a word. She read it and nodded.

She didn't seem angry with him, but he was never sure what Blake's thoughts and feeling might be. He could never tell if she was actually happy or sad or mad.

"What cloak?" she asked after a moment.

"You'll see."

She sighed irritably, but smiled.

"Look Blake," Harry said. "I'm sorry for reading your private letter."

"It's okay," she said brushing it off like it was dust.

"Really."

"Yeah, but Harry…" she paused.

"Yeah…?"

"I think we should back out of the tournament," she said. She bit her lip nervously.

"What? Why? We're a team," he protested.

"I know, but maybe it wouldn't be so great… for us. Um… it could be really dangerous and…," she could not seem to come up with a full reasonable argument.

"You can't give up. The first task is only a week and a half away."

"Harry, it's just that…"

"Is it about the letter from your mom? About being cautious with our friendship?"

"No," she said quickly, but much too quickly. She sighed. "Yes."

"What is there to be cautious about?"

"I can't say."

"Tell me. It's what friends do."

"But we shouldn't be friends," she said firmly.

"But…" Harry's words faltered. "I want to be friends."

"Me, too," she whispered.

Harry decided to change to subject, "Let's not worry about the tournament right now. What I want to know is how you know Hagrid."

"Well, he helped my mom and I through some… hard times. He used to take care of me when I was young because my mum had so much on her plate already... and I guess that's it."

"Really? That's all?"

"No, but I'm not going to tell you anymore."

Harry sighed, at least she was honest.

Later that evening at dinner, Blake wasn't at dinner so Harry left without eating to go looking for her. He was about to knock on Professor Mcgonagall's door to ask is she had seen Balke when he heard voices inside.

"Professor," it was Blake. "I would like to be taken out from the tournament."

"Excuse me, Miss Eden?" came Professor Mcgonagall's voice. Harry pressed his ear against the door to listen.

"I just don't think it would be good for me or Harry to do it."

"But he is your team mate. You can not back out on him."

"I know I shouldn't but I have to. Anyways Harry and I would have an unfair advantage."

"What do you mean by this?"

"Well, we are working together because we are younger, but not to be full of myself or anything, but I am at the level of a fifth year."

"I am well aware of that, but I did not make the decision to make you two a team." Mcgonagall said. "Maybe you should request to split the two of you up."

"No," Blake said quickly then she seemed to reconsider her answer. "Actually that would be best. Could you address Professor Dumbledore about that?"

"I will, but I am afraid you can not back out."

"I know, but can you still ask Professor Dumbledore about it?," Blake replied firmly.

"Yes."

Harry heard the scraping of stairs on the stone floor and quickly walked away. He heard Blake coming down the corridor behind him and stopped. He turned to meet her. When she turned to corner and faced him she had a look of regret on her face.

"Are you really wanting to back out?"

"You heard that?"

"Yeah, Blake, don't back down, please. I need you."

"No you don't You'll survive without me."

"Well, maybe I can, but I want to do this with you. I want us to be champions together, to win together."

"No," she said firmly. "You can do without me. You don't need me. You can win on your own. Harry, you are the Boy Who Lived. If you can conquer Voldemort as a baby and in your first two years of Hogwarts than you can get through three tasks without help."

"But I had help. From Hermione… and Ron and Dumbledore, Hagrid and loads of other people. Now I want your help. I would have never been able to accomplish anything without help."

"Then ask those people for help. You were fine without me for three whole years. Just because we are friends this year doesn't mean we have to depend on each other."

"But it is always great to have someone to depend on. Don't you know that?"

"Not really. I don't like depending on people. It makes them care about you and once they start to care then it hurts them when you leave?"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"I mean I have to walk out of people's lives because I am afraid of hurting them. I don't want them to get mixed up in my life."

"What is there to get mixed up in?"

"My whole past," she said. "My unhappy childhood, my horrid father, my isolated life."

"But…" Harry began.

"No. You can do without me. I think it would be best if we are no longer friends."

"What?"

"Sorry?"

"What about going to Hagrid's and being on a team?"

"I'll come with you to Hagrid's… for Hagrid not for you and if all works out we probably will not be on a team."

"But I…"

But Blake left no room for protest. She walked away revealing her true self to Harry once again; her cold, hateful, lonely self.


	10. Get Past the Dragon

Blake and Harry ended up skipping dinner. They waited in the common room.

"We need to get back as fast as we can," Harry said. He hadn't told Blake, but he had gotten a letter from Sirius that he would meet him the common room at one o'clock.

"Why?"

"Er…"

"Nevermind. We should probably head to Hagrid's."

"Oh, yeah. I need to go get my Invisibility Cloak," he said.

"You have an invisibility cloak?"

"yeah."

The quickly went and got the invisibility cloak and headed to Hagrid's hut huddled under it. They hammered on his door and didn't pull it off until they were inside.

Harry and Blake gawked up at Hagrid. He seemed to have attempted to tame his hair. It was split in two part and somewhat flattened. parts of the comb were stuck in it.

"So why are we here?" Harry asked.

"You'll see." With that he walked out the door.

They draped the cloak back over themselves and followed. Hagrid walked over to the Beauxbatons carriage and knocked. Madam Maxime opened it and the were both soon striding across the grounds to the Forbidden Forest.

"Where are ze going," she asked playfully.

"Is this a joke?" Harry muttered as they followed.

They followed them through to forest. After about five minutes Harry had enough.

"I say we go back," he said, but as he did there came a ground shaking roar. They entered a clearing with four large dragons. Harry's mouth fell open.

"Dragons," he said in disbelief. "That's the next task?"

"Oh, no," she said.

There was a green dragon, a red one, a gray one and a large reptilian black one. Harry watched as the wizards and witches short stunning spells at the dragons. Soon all of them were unconscious, but not for long.

"Beautiful," Hagrid muttered.

"Hagrid, what are you doing here," said a wizard that Harry recognized as Charlie Weasley. "You sure you should've brought her? Don't you think she will tell her campion."

"Ah, no," Hagrid said.

Charlie shrugged, "How's Harry? Mom's worried sick."

"E's doin' fine," Hagrid said. "'E'll be fine with 'is partner."

"Who is she anyway?"

"You'll see."

Charlie shrugged again and went back to his work.

"Let's go," Harry said knowing midnight was approaching. "Hagrid won't miss us."

Blake nodded and turned around so fast that the cloak almost slipped off Harry. They hurried back to the castle and had to stop when they saw Karkaroff heading into the forest. Once he had passed Harry spoke:

"He probably saw Hagrid and Maxime going in. I mean, they aren't that hard to miss," Harry said.

"Now, all the champions will know what's in the first task except…"

"Cedric," Harry finished.

They walked back up to the castle in silence. When they reached the Gryffindor common room, Blake threw off the cloak and headed upstairs. Harry was somewhat relieved. He waited for Sirius, pondering the first task. Five minutes after midnight the fire began to spit. Suddenly, to Harry's surprise, Sirius head appeared in the ifre

"Hi Harry," he said cheerfully.

"Sirius!"

"So, I don't have much time. I had to sneak into someone's house to use the fireplace," Sirius said. "So what is the trouble."

"Someone put my name in the Goblet of Fire and now I have to compete in the tournament," Harry said.

This information did not seem new to Sirius, "Yes, I have been scavenging for _Daily Prophets. _Who ever did it is no friend to you."

"Who do you think it is?"

"Durmstrang is there, and my best bet would be the headmaster, Igor Karkaroff. He was a former Death Eater, but was some how able to wriggle his way out of Azkaban," Sirius said.

"But why would Karkaroff want me in the tournament. Don't you think he wants his own champion to win?"

"Of course, but some people don't expect you to survive this tournament."

Harry narrowed his eyebrows and opened his mouth to speak.

"Now, not everyone," Sirius said hurriedly. "As I heard you are on a team. That seems some what odd. That gives you an unfair advantage."

"Yeah, but I am relieved I am on a team," Harry said. "Honestly, I don't think I am up for this. The first task is dragons. Hagrid showed us."

"Us?"

"Yeah, the girl I am on a team with."

"Hm… maybe she is in on Karkaroff's plan," Sirius said thoughtfully. "Maybe he put her in the tournament to make sure you don't make it. To make sure you don't survive."

"No way," Harry said immediately. "And even if she was how could she anonymously put me in harms way? How could she make it look coincidental? We will be with each other through all the tasks."

"It was just a notion. Calm down," Sirius said. "But still…"

"Look Sirius. She is my friend."

"Oh is it Hermione? If so you have a very unfair advantage."

"No it isn't Hermione. It is someone I met this year," Harry said.

"Harry, that is still suspicious…"

Now that Harry thought about it he could see why it would be suspicious. He had become with friends just this year and no one seemed to know her before now except for the teachers. She pretended to be happy, but she had something horrid on the inside. She had a horrible past. Why did she want to be friends with him? Why did not one interact with her? Soon questions began buzzing in Harry's head.

"No," he said aloud, trying to convince himself it wasn't true. "She's on my side. She doesn't even want to be in the tournament. She tried to back out or split up our team."

"Maybe she is trying to back out of the plan," Sirius said.

"No, she is my friend," Harry said determinedly.

"Okay…" Sirius said. "Anyway Harry about the first task. Dragon's you say? That is tricky. Only a group can stun a dragon so don't try that. But there is a way…"

from behind him Harry heard footsteps coming down the stairs from the boys dormitories.

"Someone is coming," Harry hissed. He turned and stood. Just then Ron came out from behind the corner.

He glared at Harry.

"what do you want?" Harry snapped.

"I heard voices," Ron said.

"You must be imagining things. Wouldn't be the first time."

"Shut up. You're probably just practicing for your next interview." Ron turned on his heals.

"Wait," Harry said. Ron paused and turned back around. "Tell me this. Why are you mad at me and not Blake?"

"Because it is always you, You probably pushed her into it. Wanting to do everything with your new buddy aren't you. I'm your best mate," Ron said.

Harry didn't reply.

"She doesn't even sound like she wants to be in the tournament." Ron said.

"She doesn't and neither do I, but we have no choice."

"Why did you enter with her in the first place?"

"We didn't enter. Someone set us up."

Ron sighed.

Harry glanced back. Sirius head was gone. He might as well go up to bed. He marched past Ron up the steps. He was fuming. Ron had interrupted Sirius telling him how to get past the dragons. He pulled off his robes and put on his pajamas. Still fuming, he climbed into bed. As he laid in the dark he calmed down and his mind got distracted.

Was Blake really in on a plan with Karkaroff? Was she really looking to harm or even kill Harry? Did her past have anything to do with Voldemort? Did she have anything to do with the dream he had during the summer?

No, Harry tried to convince himself, but the doubts kept slipping into his mind. He didn't realize that Ron never came up to bed. Harry fell asleep with restless thoughts about Blake betraying him lingering in the corner of his mind.


	11. His Strengths

**I don't know if I have already said this, but sorry if there is any spelling or grammar errors. I'm not very good in that area of expertise. Thanks for reading and please leave reviews. They really help me.**

* * *

Harry woke up the next morning to the sun streaming through the window. He groggily got up and pulled on his robes. He realized it was Saturday, but saw nothing good about it. First of all he had mounds of homework and next Wednesday was the first task.

Ron was not in the dormitory and Harry didn't really care. He was more worried about the approaching task. Blake sat at the Gryffindor, ignoring a group of lingering Durmstrang boys. When they saw Harry approached they laughed.

Harry ignored them as well and sat down. Blake looked up from her breakfast and smiled.

"How are you?" she asked. She was pretending as if they had no disagreement the night before.

"I'm a little worried," Harry said, deciding to play along.

"Me, too," she said.

"Hey, Potter," came a sneering voice from behind him. Harry turned to see Draco with his usual bodyguards, Crabbe and Goyle. The first thing that caught Harry's attention was a large round badge on their chests. On it were the words "Support Cedric Diggory! (The REAL Hogwarts Champion)"

"So," Harry said.

"That's not all they do," Draco said. He jabbed his finger at the badge and the words morphed into "POTTER STINKS!"

"And…?" Harry said trying to sound unfrazzled.

"What am I, chopped liver?" Blake said. "Why not any 'Boo Blake'?"

Draco just eyes went wide. Blake smirked at him and he had no choice, but to walk away. He stalked away and joined a group of Durmstrang boys.

"What a prat."

Harry peered down the table and saw Hermione talking to Ron. In her hands was a _Daily Prophet_. Harry listened intently and got bits and pieces of their conversation.

"He asked for it," Ron said.

"What about Blake?" Hermione said.

"Well, no, but…"

"That evil women used them."

Ron just shrugged and focused on eating his bacon. Hermione spotted Harry and Blake and hurried over to them.

"Did you see this yet?"

"Where did you get that?" Blake asked.

"I borrowed it from Seamus," she said. "Look read this."

Blake took the paper. Her eyes scanned the page. She turned the page and continued reading in silence. The once more turned the page. "What about it?" She said after reading it all.

"Does it not bother you?" Hermione inquired.

"Not really. It is just rubbish…."

"She insulted you," Hermione said seeming more anger about it than Blake.

"So… maybe she is right,"

"What?"

Harry snatched the paper from Blake and read the front page. Half the front page was covered by a picture of Harry and a disgruntled looking Blake. The picture was also accompanied by an article the continued on page three and seven. The other champions were only mentioned in the last few sentences, their names and school's misspelled. Cedric's name wasn't even given all it said was, "_the other Hogwarts champion_". the first page was mostly on hoodwinking the tournament. Once he turned to page three he began reading more fervently and angrily. He could never remember saying or even thinking anything in the article, let alone the broom cupboard.

_"I think I get all my strength and courage from my parents. I know they would be proud if they saw me know, famous, adored and admired by all. I must admit I do cry about them sometimes at night. I'm not ashamed. I know I will be safe during the tournament because the love me and are always with me…"_

That went on for about three more paragraphs, but what really got Harry worked up was not the things said about him, but the things said about Blake.

_"But a new found friend emerges from the shadows. Maybe to bask in the famous Harry Potter's glory or to get close. A new figure of beauty and temper, Blake Eden. She has squirmed her way into Harry's life. Harry defends her as close friend, but is there more to it than that? She is pretending to be honored and protected by the presence of friendship with the famous Harry Potter. To say she was insignificant before worming her way into Harry's feeling is just putting it lightly. He has made no notice of her since now. One starts to suspect her entering poor Harry in the tournament against his will, just to get even closer to him. He seemed oblivious to what actually might be hiding in this beautiful girl. What could really lurk in her dark eyes…"_

This also went on. All about Blake's trickery. There was a whole paragraph devoted to possible accusations, some of which had been made by unnamed students at Hogwarts, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. Harry wished they gave names so he could hunt them down and cause serious pain or embarrassment. Then he got to yet another paragraph.

_"Harry Potter is torn between two. "Harry is rarely seen without Hermione Granger," says Harry's fellow Gryffindor, Colin Creevey. Does Harry really have feeling for this Hermione or does his heart belong to the new beauty. Or maybe it is the other way around. Is he just using Blake to get through the tournament._

Harry didn't want to read anymore, but he finished the article. He was shaking with rage. He looked up at Blake whose face was hiding any feeling of anger. She looked completely unfrazzled.

"Who does she…. How dare…" Harry could find no words that could properly vent his anger.

"Harry, it's fine. I don't care," Blake said. "Come meet me in the common room after you are done eating." She stood and left the Great Hall. Not soon after her hair whip through the door did Karkaroff stand from the staff table and walk out of the Great Hall.

Harry stood, ignoring his half finished piece of toast and tailing after Karkaroff. In the Entrance Hall Blake was already in a heated conversation with Karkaroff when Harry peered through the door. Her wand was drawn, but was held limply at her side.

"Don't tell me what to do," she said. "And leave me alone."

"I demand you to withdraw from this tournament," Karkaroff hissed. "With you here that Potter boy is bound to win."

"You can't demand me to do anything." With that being said, she turned her back on Karkaroff and headed up to the Gryffindor common room.

Overhearing this conversation reassured Harry that Blake was not on Karkaroff's side. He hurried after her as soon as Karkaroff disappeared through the doors. He found Blake finishing up what appeared to be an essay.

"Harry, I didn't think you were done eating," she said.

"Yeah, I wasn't to hungry," Harry said. "Blake… do you have any plans on how to get through the first task?"

"Not really," she said. She seemed distracted.

Harry bit his lip unsure of what to say. She seemed to not want to be in his presence at the moment and he didn't know why. He didn't know why he could sense her anxiety.

"Blake, I think we should tell Cedric," Harry said to break the silence.

"What… oh yeah, me, too," she said. "Shall we now?"

"Now…?" she caught Harry off guard. "Uh, sure."

But before they could even make it out of the portrait hole, Hermione came running up to them.

"Harry, Blake, Professor Mcgonagall wants to see you in her office," she panted. Behind her was Ron lazily walking up the stairs, taking his time.

Harry hurried past him without looking at him followed by Blake. Harry knocked on Mcgonagall's office.

"Come in."

Harry pushed the door open and entered followed by a hopeful looking Blake.

"Blake, I have considered your requests," Professor Mcgonagall began. "But first we must address Mr. Potter on the issue."

"He already knows that I want to split up and maybe even drop out," Blake said simply.

"Well, then. I have to say Blake, you can not back out of this tournament. According to Barty the Goblet of Fire's magic is unbreakable, once entered you can not back out," she said. "I addressed Professor Dumbledore about your request to split up your's and Potter's team. He does not advise it, but he will do nothing to stop you if that is what you want. I myself will put my opinion into the matter. I think you are to only sever your team if Potter gives his consent."

"Of course I don't," Harry said immediately. "I don't want to do this on my own. I don't want all the attention or glory."

"I understand Potter, but is this the kind of attention you were expecting?" Mcgonagall asked displaying a _Daily Prophet_.

"Well, no…"

"Professor, do you know what happens to a champion if they don't participate?" Balke asked.

"No I do not, but I would not advise finding out. The Goblet of Fire has unbreakable magic and bonds on it. It is so old and has been passed down so much that no one is sure of what magic it contains. For all we know it could have some sort of curse or Dark Magic awaiting a champion who refuses."

Blake nodded and stood, "Then there is nothing more I have to request."

Harry stood as well and Mcgonagall motioned them to leave.

They walked back to the common room in silence all thoughts of Cedric now deserted. If Cedric had not walked out of the Great Hall as they were walking past the doors they both might have forgotten. He was with a group of friends including, Harry's stomach dropped, Cho Chang. Most of them were wearing POTTER STINKS badges, but Cedric or Cho wore one.

"Cedric," Blake called. "Can we talk to you?"

"Uh, yeah,"

"Alone," Blake added.

"Meet me in the grounds guys," Cedric said. He approached Blake and Harry as his friends left.

"Like the badge Potter?" one called.

"Potter Stinks!" another said.

"Look, Harry, I'm sorry about the badges," Cedric began.

"It's fine," Harry said.

"So what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" he asked Harry as if it had been him who had made the request.

"Dragons," Harry said dumbly.

"Excuse me?"

"That's the first task," Blake said.

"Are you serious?" Cedric looked at her in surprise as though just aware of her existence. Blake seemed to realize this.

"No, it's bunnies," she said, her voice thick with sarcasm.

"Look, everyone knows," Harry said. "It's only fair."

"Thanks, Harry." Cedric turned away and set out for the grounds.

Harry was about to call after him to tell him that it was also Blake's doing.

"Save your breath. It doesn't matter," she said. She started heading back up the stairs when…

"Potter, Eden," a gruff called from behind him.

The both turned around to see Mad-Eye Moody.

"Come with me," he demanded.

Harry felt a clenching feeling in his chest. Had Moody seen what they just did? Would he get angry? Would Hagrid get in trouble? Blake seemed highly reluctant to obey, but followed Harry's lead as he hurried after Moody. They were lead to his office which Harry had visited the year before when it had belonged to Lupin. Now it was much different. It was full of an assortment of curious objects. There was mirror on the wall that reflected nothing, but Harry could see dark figures hovering out of focus. A sneakoscope rested on the desk that whistled loudly.

"Dare things been doing that ever since I got here. It is extra sensitive, picks up any deceit from a ways away. Here it is no use. Students lying about homework all over the place," Moody said indicating the sneakoscope. "Now sit down."

Harry sat down on a wooden stool.

"I would prefer not to," Blake said.

"Suit yourself," Moody said. "Now, let me get straight to the point. That was a very fine thing you did. I don't want to know how you figured out what the first task was, but I have my suspicions."

Harry bit his lip, Blake just glared at Moody as if she was waiting for any moment where he might do or say something unexpected.

"Now, do you either have anyway of getting past your obstacle."

Harry glanced at Blake, but she did not notice as she continue to glare at Moody.

"Er, not really…"

"That won't do. You are up against people who know more about magic than you alone," Moody said. He seemed to only me referring to Harry. "Miss Delacour may look all pretty and delicate, but she as much as a fairy princess as me. Cedric could charm anything by your age and can not transfigure almost anything with the swish of his wrist. Krum may be dimwitted, but Karkaroff is not. He will have a plan and it will all build on Krum's strengths. What are you strengths, Potter?"

"I don't know," Harry said, drawing a blank. "I can fly. I'm a fair flyer."

"Better than that so I've heard."

"But I'm not allowed anything…"

"Except a wand."

* * *

"A Summoning Charm," Hermione said simply when Harry addressed her on how to obtain his broom.

Harry knew Blake could have told him that, but after talking to Moody she had hurried off muttering something about a letter.

So for the next week Harry spent every spare moment working on perfecting the Summoning Charm. Blake and Hermione helped him and was patient with him. It never occurred to Harry how Blake would participate in the task with him. He was focusing too much on just being able to get his Firebolt from the school to the arena.

"Accio Spello-tape," Harry said and a roll of spello-tape flew into his hand. It was the night before the task and his nerves were running high. "Accio Dictionary."

The Dictionary of Magical Concepts flew to him. Hermione sat by the fire reading while Blake watched Harry.

"You are doing great. The key is just to focus," Blake said with a smile. Blake feigned smiles and happiness, but Harry knew she was having a hard time. She had never seemed quite the same since Moody had brought them to his his office. She seemed on guard and anxious. He assumed she was more nervous about the up coming task even more than he was. She was trying to hide it, as usual, but, unlike everyone else, Harry was beginning to see through her mask because he knew what was behind it. He also knew it had something to do with Rita's article. Though she acted as if it didn't bother her, but she couldn't control her cheeks flushing in embarrassment every time it was mentioned or someone called out a quote of it from down a corridor. Things such as "Wanna-Be", "Insignificant" and "Pretender" would reach Blake's ears. She only received any respect and kindness from Gryffindors it seemed.

"I guess… what are you going to do?" Harry asked.

"I already got that planned out," Blake said, but as she said it she avoiding meeting his eyes.

"Can you tell me?"

"Fine, I don't know what I am going to do," she said hastily. "This whole partner thing doesn't makes plans work out. I guess I'll just stand there like an idiot while you accomplish the task."

"No way! We'll find a way for us both to do something," Harry said. "If you do something like that who knows what people will say about you."

"I don't care," she said. "It doesn't bother me."

Harry glanced over at Hermione who seemed immersed in her book, but to make sure Harry leaned close to Blake and whispered in her ear.

"You can't fool me anymore," Harry said. "I can see through your smile."

"Harry, I…" she began.

"No more excuses. You can hide it from everyone else, but stop trying to hide it from me," Harry said. She tried to looked away, but he grabbed her shoulders. He knew to know break the silence that had now settled.

Blake looked into his green eyes and Harry stared back into her silver eyes. Slowly tears began to form in her eyes. She tore her gaze from Harry's and lifted her arm to wipe her tears. As she did, Harry noticed the simple Muggle medical wrap around her forearm and wondered what kind of injury lay beneath it that she always had to hide.

"We should probably get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a big day," she said.

Hermione looked up from her book and nodded. She stood and hurried up the girls dormitory stairs.

"Good night, Harry," she said, her voice timid and faint.

Harry climbed up the stairs and fell asleep without an idea of how the events that would transpire the next day.


	12. The First Task

"Harry, get up," Hermione's voice roused Harry from his sleep.

"What?" he said.

"You need to hurry up and go eat breakfast before the first task," she said urgently.

"Task… what?" nothing she was saying was regersiting in his brain.

"Hurry," He heard her leave and laid there squinting at the sun shining on the floor through the window. Finally it him. He threw off the covers. He hurried down to breakfast and when he entered the Great Hall he was hit with a great wall of boo's and cheers. He tried to quickly make his way to the Gryffindor table which proved difficult. Finally when he got there he squeezed in a seat next to Fred and Hermione. Ron sat a few seats down looking like he didn't want to be sitting there.

"You nervous?" Hermione asked.

"Heck, yeah." He began taking small bites of his toast, "Where is Blake."

"I don't know. She wasn't in the dormitory this morning," Hermione said.

Harry craned his look and scanned the whole Great Hall.

"Where could she be?"

"She'll be here in time for the task. She probably went somewhere to work off her nerves," Hermione said, but he could tell she was worried too.

after breakfast they all headed down to the forest. Harry searched the crowds but couldn't find her anywhere.

"Where is she?"

"No one had seen her. We've asked around everywhere," Fred said.

"Even asked some girls to check all the girls rooms," George added.

"And she wasn't anywhere?"

"Nope," Neville said.

Everyone seemed to have been looking for her and she still hadn't been found.

"Harry, could you come with me," came Ludo's voice calling across the sea of students. Harry made his way over. "Come with me to the champions tent."

Ludo led him into the forest to where the dragons had been, but now there was a big arena. Ludo led him into a side tent where the champions, Karkaroff, Dumbledore, Madam Maxime and Barty Crouch waited.

"Where is Harry's partner?" Barty demanded.

"I thought she was already here," Ludo said.

They all looked at Harry expectantly. He had no idea what to do or where she was.

"Well, I don't know where she is," Harry said.

"That's okay, we'll wait. She is probably walking off her nerves," Dumbledore said.

Harry paced back and forth in front of the tent flap, waiting. After about ten minutes he had to face the facts.

"Is she not coming?" Harry asked no one in particular.

"Harry, we will give you another ten minutes to go look for," Ludo said.

"No…" several people began to protest.

Barty and Dumbledore all stared them down and they went quiet.

"Thank you," Harry said and wasted no time after that. He bolted out of the tent, but had no idea where to look for her. As he began to run back up to the castle a voice drew him away. It was a drawn out whisper. It was the voice of a female, but it seemed off.

"I can't," The voice said. It sounded oddly familiar, but then again it seemed so unusual.

"Yes you can," another slightly whisper voice suggested, it was a male's voice.

Harry followed the voices.

"I can't," the female voice replied, but then continued. "Why do you even care?"

"You're like me."

"No, I'm not."

"Well, not physically." the male voice said. "I just want to help."

"Thanks, but there isn't much you can do. You should probably go just in case someone finds me."

Harry finally found the location of the voices. He peek around a tree and saw Blake slouched up against the tree looking up into the trees. Harry could have sworn he saw something diappear around the tree on which Blake leaned against, but when he blinked it was gone. She looked forward at Harry and a look of horror spread across her face.

"Why aren't you at the arena," Harry asked.

"I… uh…," she began, Harry could see beads of sweat dripped down her neck. Finally after much mutter and sputtering she burst out. "I can't do it Harry."

"What's this all a sudden?" Harry said trying to sound casual.

"I can't…" she began, but her words trailed off. She was looking everywhere, but at Harry.

He walked over and sat next to her. He choose his words carefully, "Blake, who were you talking to?"

Blake's eyes widened, "I don't know who… it wasn't anyone."

"Please tell me," Harry said patiently.

She closed her eyes and shook her head vigorously.

Harry sat with her in silence for a moment that seemed to stretch through hours and hours, finally he spoke, "Shall we get down to the arena?"

"Harry, I can't."

"Yes you can," Harry said reassuringly.

"No I can't" she said raising her voice. "Don't tell me lies.

"Blake… I'll do it. You don;t have to put yourself in danger. You can just stand by."

"Stand by?" she said as if it were something she never heard of. "Just stand by." she seemed to forget Harry was even there. She buried her head in her knees. "I can't" she sobbed.

"Blake, you can…"

"Stop," she demanded. "Just don't talk."

Harry was lost for words. What had he done?

"Blake, what's wrong?"

"Don't," she was almost begging him. "I can't. Don't make me."

Harry didn't know what else to do. He stood up and extended his hand to Blake.

"Come with me. It will be okay."

Blake looked up at him with teary eyes, she took his hand and he pulled her up onto her feet. As he lead her to the arena her hand tightened their grip on his. Harry pulled open the flap.

"There she is," Dumbledore said.

"Okay, we need to get started immediately," Barty said.

No one seemed to notice the horrible emotional state Blake was in. She still held tight to Harry's hand and he didn't dare pull away.

"Now you will pull out of this bag the creature you will be facing. It have a number on it in the order you all will take turns." Barty held the bag out to Fleur. She reached in and pulled out a miniature figure of a green dragon with a small two on it. Fleur stared at it with a determined expression. This was obviously not the reaction Barty was expected.

"Welsh Green," he said. He sighed and moved onto Cedric. He pulled out a bluish silver dragon with a one on it. "Swedish Short Snout." Next was Krum who pulled out a fiery red dragon with a three on it. "The Chinese Fireball and that leaves."

"The Hungarian Horntail," Blake whispered in horror. No one seemed to hear her as Harry pulled the last dragon from the bag. The serpentine like dragon roared up at him and Harry saw the small number four on it. Blake stared at it and her grip on Harry's hand tightened almost to when it hurt.

"Well, now. Mr. Diggory, you are first," Barty said. "You objective is to get the golden egg."

As Cedric left the tent, looking more green in the face than natural, he heard a dragon roar. They champions waited until the crowd cheered loudly. Then Fleur went and then Krum. Through Krum's Harry kept glancing nervously at Blake. Her face was pale and she had still not let go of Harry's hand. He wondered if she was even aware that she was holding it. Finally the crowd cheered and Harry knew it was their turn.

"Come on," Harry said.

"Harry, I…"

"Don't tell me you can't. I'll summon my broom and we'll go from there, okay," he said. "If you don't want to get into danger…"

"No Harry, you don't understand… I… look I could never ask you to do that by yourself."

"But I can because the whole time I will know you will have my back."

"Harry, you don't understand."

"Then help me understand."

Before she could reply, Harry strolled out of the tent into the arena. The crowd roared. With cheers and boos.

Harry saw the large black dragon in the middle guarding a collection of gray eggs, but one was gold. He glanced back at Blake and gave a reassuring nod.

"Accio Firebolt," he said, not wasting anytime. He waited feeling idiotic just standing there, but soon his broom came zooming down through the sky and stopped in front of him.

"Get on," he said to Blake.

He mounted the broom and she did as well, but rather gingerly. Harry nervously glanced at the dragon which was staring at them tentatively. Once Blake had gotten on the broom he pushed off the ground. He had never rode double before, but it wasn't much different than single flying. Blake wrapped her arms tight around Harry's waist.

"I'm going to get it away from the egg and when it does I am going to swoop down, I want you to grab it," he said when she didn't reply he added. "Okay?"

"okay," she said, her voice barely audible over the wind in Harry's ears.

It proved difficult to get the Horntail away from her eggs. It seemed determined not to leave them. At one point Harry got a little too close and it swung its spiky tail at him, grazing his arm. He could feel hot blood seeping into his robes.

"Are you okay?" he called back to Blake.

"Are you?"

"I'm fine. It doesn't hurt that bad."

He continued swooped down and irritating the dragon. Now and then she would give a raging roar and send a pillar of fire in their direction in the sky. Only once did it swing its tail at them when Harry got to close. This time he thought it Blake. She let out a gasp, but other than that gave no sign that she was harmed. He was about to ask her if she was okay when the dragon finally became too agitated to sit on the ground. It spread its wings and lifted off the ground.

"Here we go," he said to Blake.

He swooped down toward the eggs. One of Blake's arms released his waist. She reached down toward the ground.

"I got…," but before she could say the rest, Harry felt her other arm slip. Harry spun around in horror. Blake was lying on the ground with the golden egg clutched in her arms. Already wizards and witches were running out into the arena to restarting the dragon and soon it was out cold.

Harry touched down and ran to her. She had a bloody gash on her head a and a slice on her leg similar to the one on Harry's arm, "Blake, are you okay?"

Her eyes scanned the sky and finally settled on him, "No…"

"Can you stand?"

"I…I don't know," she muttered. She looked down at the egg in her arms. Her eyes widened in surprise. "You did it."

"No, we did it," Harry said. He lifted her arm and put it around his neck. He pulled her to her feet.

"Everything is fuzzy. I feel really… dizzy. Harry, I… I can't...," Blake said slowly. Then she collapsed.


	13. Her Weaknesses

**Sorry this chapter isn't very long, but I just needed to put this stuff into one chapter without anything else distracting form it.**

* * *

"_I'm leaving," a cold voice said._

"_Don't go," another female voice pleaded. "Not tonight."_

"_Why do you still care," the cold voice spat. "I'm not who you thought I was. I fooled you."_

"_Because I love you, and she needs you."_

"_I never loved you and don't worry, I will be back to get her," the cold voice said. "She won't be your child for much longer."_

Blake sat straight up. Cold sweat ran down her neck. Harry, who was sitting on a chair resting his head on the bed jolted awake.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine?"

"I'm fine?"

She looked around. She was lying in a bed in the hospital wing. It was dark outside, but the light of an almost full moon shined through the window, bathing the floor in a pale light. Harry sat in a chair next to the bed with his head resting on the bed, sound asleep. She looked down at him and could help, but smile. He wondered how long he had been there. She wondered how long she had been there. What about the task? What had happened? All she could remember was grasping the egg.

"What happened?" she was bursting with question.

"Well, you got the egg and hit your head really hard," he said. "You've been here for two days. Madam Pomfrey was able to fix your injuries, but not your brain. She was unsure of what would happen. But you're alright… right?"

"Yeah," she said. Not wanting to tell him about the dream she had just had. "I feel fine. Did I just collapse?"

"Yeah, it must have been the blow to your head," Harry said.

"What about the tournament?"

"Oh," a smile spread across Harry's face. "We are tied for first with Krum! Karkaroff didn't give us a good score, but who wasn't expecting that?"

"That's great," Blake said, but enthusiasm was not there.

Suddenly Harry's smile faded and his face became serious, "Blake I want you to help me understand what is wrong. We can't work together if we don't trust each other."

"You don't trust me?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying. I want to know you. I want us to be friends," Harry said. She didn't reply so he went on, "I know that you shouldn't hold it in. You have to tell someone or it will eventually start eating away at you."

"I can't be completely honest with you," Blake said. "Because you will never see me in the same way if you learn the truth."

Harry didn't know what to say. Blake stared at the light painted across the floor.

"Blake, just tell me what you are willing to say aloud," Harry said after a moment of silence.

She sighed and looked back at Harry, "As you might have realized I didn't have a very happy childhood. My mom and I have been in hiding ever since I was one year old, but that didn't solve our problems. Like some wizard children, I had no control of my power. I was a little reckless as well. By the time I was eight I hated being cooped up in the house. Once I left and I lost control. After that I never dared venture farther than the doorstep. I kept telling myself that it wasn't my fault, but the more I did the worse I felt. It wasn't until my mom told me why I had no control over my power did I truly believe it wasn't my fault, but the reason made me feel even worse."

Harry listened, but was feeling discouraged because her explanation was presenting more questions than it was answering.

"I'm not who you think I am Harry," she continued. "You don't understand why we shouldn't be friends. I shouldn't even be near you."

"Why?"

"Because I could hurt you. Though it hasn't happened in several years, I could still lose control," she said. "I don't know what powers I have. It could be worse."

"What could be worse? What powers?" Harry said exasperatedly. "This is making no sense Blake. I can't read between the lines."

"Harry, I can't tell you anymore or you would never speak or look at me again," Blake said.

"Can you at least tell me who you were talking to in the forest?"

She shook her head, "I can't put him in danger. He trusts me and I would never betray that trusts."

"Who is 'he'?" Harry asked. Harry suspicious were rising to the surface. Was she really conspiring against him?

"I can't tell you," she said.

"I want to know. Blake I want to trust you, but…"

"Trust is something you have to accept yourself, not decide on evidence that may true or not," Blake interrupted. "I can't betray him. I'm sorry and if you ask me to than you are no friend of mine."

These words stabbed at Harry's heart. "I would never… I'm sorry." Harry said, looking down at his feet.

"It's okay," she said. "You can go to bed now."

"I would rather stay here with you," Harry said. "To make sure you're okay."

She turned over in bed facing away from Harry. She didn't dare close her eyes though. Not wanting to have the dream again, or one even worse.

The next morning clouds have congregated over the sky. When Blake woke, rain was pattering against the windows. She could not remember closing her eyes, but she must have some time during the night. Harry was no longer waiting by her bed and seemed to be no where. She didn't really want to talk to him, but when he came strolling with a tray of breakfast she couldn't help feeling glad to see him. He set the tray in front of her. He didn't talk for a while as she ate. She knew his silence wouldn't last for long. After she ate her last bite of bacon he spoke.

"Blake, you were very vague last night," Harry said. "Can you tell me anymore? You don't have to tell me anything about who ever 'he' is. Are you okay? I'm worried."

Those simple words unlocked everything Blake was holding in. It all spilled out.

"Oh, Harry. No I'm not okay. I don't know who I am or what to do. I am scared, and angry and I am pretending to be someone I'm not. I can't pretend anymore ," she said and began to sob. She hugged her knees and looked anywhere, but at Harry. "I don't ever want to be alone, but when I am with people I want to be alone. Nobody really cares about me. I know it. My own mother…" She faltered in her words, but slowly continued. "I hate my life. I'm a monster in disguise. I have considered ending my life. I want it all to go away. It's not worth it."

Harry didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to comfort someone or help them. He resulted to sitting next to her and gathering her in his arms. She cried as he held her. Letting it all out.

"I'm so sorry," she said after several minutes of crying. "I shouldn't have told you. I don't want you to worry."

"I'm not worried. I'm scared for you," Harry said.

"Isn't that worse?"

Harry didn't reply.

"Harry, this can't be right. We can't be friends. I don't want to hurt you."

"Blake, don't say that again. I think we are suppose to be friends. You've said that before, but look what we accomplished."

"No," Blake said. "You're wrong. You have no idea what I could do to you."

"Look I have already escaped Voldemort twice," Harry said. Along with wincing, fresh tears began streaming down her face. "There is nothing you can do to me that I can't handle or evade. I don't even believe you would do anything to harm me. I'm pretty sure you could, but that doesn't mean you would."

"How do you know? You don't know me," she whispered.

Harry open his mouth to speak, but could think of nothing to say.

"Thank you, Harry for caring about me. Thank you for everything." she paused in her words. She wiped her eyes and her voice became firm. "I know I have said it before, but we can not be friends. I did not see how vital it was until now. From here on out we are only collaborators. We are not friends."

Harry stood frozen in place. After all this time she still was so determined to deny him her friendship and trust. After the tournament and their victory together she wanted to end it all now. After pouring out her troubles, she still could not trust him or accept him as a friend.

"I'm sorry. Please forgive me," she said. She wiped away the forming tears and stood. "Just leave me alone... before you get hurt."


	14. Magnus

**I know this one is short too, but it has a lot in it. It is that "Less is More" sort of thing. This kind of chapter needs to be short, just like the last one, so nothing is distracted from anything else. It kind of sprouts a whole bunch of unanswered questions. **

* * *

After the tournament the other houses were more friendly and supportive toward Harry, except, of course, for the Slytherins who still wore POTTER STINKS badges. Harry noticed that the badges weren't as numerous after the first task. Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and even some Hufflepuffs patted him on the back as he walked down the hall. He saw them do it to Blake to and when people would try to talk to her or congratulate her she would shake them off.

Despite being friends with Ron again after the tournament, Harry still felt awful. Blake was completely avoiding him. Everytime the made eye contact she would walk away or pretend it had ever happened. She seemed more secluded than ever before. She was disappearing from the Great Hall and common room more often than usual. Over a week he most often saw her with red puffy eyes and even some streaks of tears on her face. She even started skipping some classes. He once saw her heading down to the Forbidden Forest. Harry began getting worry and couldn't allow her to avoid him anymore. On Thursday after classes he cornered her in the common room once everyone had put their stuff away and gone down to dinner.

"You can't avoid me forever," Harry said. Blake was sitting alone on a windowsill. She merely glanced over at him then stared back outside. "Now that I know all this about you, you can't expect me to leave you alone."

Again she didn't reply.

"Stop being so stubborn. We are a team. We have to figure out the egg. It screams and shrieks when you open it so…" Harry said.

Blake looked at him and he almost shrank at her cold gaze, "Harry, I told you to leave me alone once before. Don't make me do it again. I may not do it as patiently."

"Look, you may not think we are friends, but we still need to figure out the egg as partners," Harry said, becoming desperate.

"That time will come," she stood and left the common room.

Harry ran after her, but stopped his pursuit once she exited the castle. He watched from the large oak doors as she walked across the grounds to the forest. He wanted nothing more than to follow her, but if she discovered him sneaking after her, that would make matters worse. He turned back and headed to the Great Hall.

"What's up?" Ron asked as Harry sat down across from him, seeing the look on his face.

"Nothing."

"Harry, did you talk to Blake?" Hermione asked.

"Er… yeah."

Harry was starting to regret telling Hermione and Ron about the conversation he had with Blake. He didn't tell them everything. Only the part about her not wanting to be friends and not wanting to hurt him.

"And…" Hermione encouraged.

"It didn't go exactly how I wanted it to. She said we would work out the egg… eventually," Harry said.

"Eventually? what does that mean?" Ron inquired.

"I don't know," Harry said.

"Well, cheer up mate. Tomorrow's the last day of classes until Christmas break," Ron said.

"Yeah, I guess," Harry said, but the enthusiasm wasn't there.

* * *

Blake weaved through the trees to a clearing he had promised to meet her at. She waited in the clearing closing her eyes. She took in the scents of the forest and the feel of the soft breeze. It was all so normal. Nothing she thought was real. She spun slowly, relishing the feeling of freedom.

_"Enjoying yourself,"_ came a sly, silky male voice behind her.

She stopped spinning, but didn't open her eye, "_No."_

_"Am I interrupting?"_

"_No,_" she said finally opening her eyes, but the person was not in front of her. He was behind her. He came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"_Are you okay?"_

"_I'm fine,"_ her words sliding together and seething through her teeth.

"_Tell me the truth,_" the voice demanded smoothly.

"_Please speak to me._"

"_If you insist_," he said and then his tone changed. "Now what's wrong?"

"He thinks he is part of my life because I foolishly poured out my heart and troubles to him," Blake said bitterly.

"He probably thinks you told him all your secrets. He thinks that now you have told him all that he did that he is responsible for 'helping' you," the male voice said.

"He doesn't know it all."

"Did you tell him that?"

"Well… no," Blake looked down at her feet. "Magnus?

"Yeah?"

"I've started having the dream again. It is getting more vivid and even threatening. I'm almost afraid of going to sleep."

"When?" Magnus said.

"Well, it first started after the first task while I was in the hospital wing. After that, I have been having it almost every night."

"I didn't you tell me this a week ago after the task?"

"I didn't want to worry you. It isn't that big of deal."

Magnus did not pursue the subject any further.

"Magnus?" she said again.

"Hmm," he mused, to indicate he was listening.

"Why do you still care even after you saw what I am capable of? Why did you come back?" Blake could feel the tears coming. She didn't want to cry, especially in front of Magnus.

"Well, I saw no reason not to come back even after all the years apart. I mean, you are nothing like your father. We saw each other as equals and partners because of our ability. Anyways, I had not where to go. I had no where to run to. No one to go to. You were scared of leaving the house after what happened and still you came to see me every night despite the Fidelius Charm, whether it be to bring me food or just to talk," Magnus said earnestly. "While you were at Hogwarts over the past three years I waited for Christmas, Easter and summer breaks to see you. You have been the only friend I have ever had. You didn't leave after you found out what I'd done and why I had been expelled. You never left."

She blinked trying to wash away the tears, but this just caused them to trickle down her face, "That's because you stopped me from doing more damage."

"Is that the only reason you came? Because you were in my debt?"

Blake shook her head, "You were my only friend. Why did you follow me here? After all this time I thought you had forgotten."

"Where else was I supposed to go. You are the only person who knows who I am or that I even exist. So I decided to come here to help you. Some how I knew you still cared. So I finally came. We have talk about this before."

"Not enough to satisfy my doubts," Blake said.

"Do you still not trust me all the way. Even after I came after you."

"I have never trusted anyone." she said the tears coming more freely. She wanted more than anything to trust him. After all, he had come for her at the time when she had needed him most. Just before the first task. He came and offered help and support. Despite her surprise to see him after so many years, she was still happy to see him, but his appearance brought back memories and questions that had not yet been answered. He had just answered a small few of the questions burning inside of her. After he had stopped her so many years before, she had always looked up to him and seen him as a friend. He never expected him to come after her while she was at school. Once she entered Hogwarts she only saw him over Christmas, Easter and summer breaks. At first she had been too young, naive and desperate for a friend to really care what he had done, but over Christmas break of her third year, the both divulged their secrets to each other and neither of them deserted each other or turned away after learning each other's darkest secrets.

Blake tried to turn around to look into his eyes and see the earnest in them that was always there, but the hands on her shoulders held firm.

"Don't turn around."

"Why not?"

"I don't want to look you in your eyes."

"What? Is it because of what happened last year? That wasn't your fault. If it was anyones it was mine. It is me who…"

"No it's not that."

"Then what..."

"I don't want to see your tears." Blake could hear the strain in his voice and it sounded as if he too had tears in his eyes and was forcing them back.

Blake's heart skipped a beat. She took a deep breath and began to walk away. The hands released her.

_"Please come back soon_."

"_I will._" she promised. Not even realizing his change in tone or that she too changed her tone. The words carried to Magnus over her shoulder as a dim hope. They seemed to hang in the air around the clearing.

She went back through the trees to the castle. The sky was darkening and the sun had fallen out of sight behind the horizon. Her mind was only on Magnus and his unexpected appearance just before the first task.


	15. Don't Dance

In Transfiguration on Friday Professor McGonagall instructed them to pack up earlier than usual. Once everything was put away and everyone was settle down, she made an announcement.

"I have something to say before your weekend," she said. "As a tradition of the Triwizard we will be having the Yule Ball. It is an opportunity to socialize with our foreign friends. Only fourth and above can attend, but, if you wish, you can invite a younger student."

This announcement had grabbed the attention of most the girls in the room. The all listened intently and most of the boys slouched down in their seats. Even Hermione seemed some what interested. Harry couldn't help sneaking a peek and Blake across the room. She seemed completely uninterested. Harry spotted Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil looking at him. The were both suppressing fits of giggle, he could tell. Harry was really interested. His mind was distracted by Hermione's sudden interest in house elves and how she had taken both him and Ron down to the kitchens the night before. Though surprised and admittedly delighted to see Dobby, his mind had been distracted the whole time on where Blake was in the forest and what she was doing.

"The ball will be on Christmas Day in the Great Hall starting at seven o'clock and ending at midnight. Is that all clear. Oh, and dress robes must be worn. I do expect you all to represent Gryffindor house in a respectful manner," Professor Mcgonagall finished.

The bell rang and everyone hurried to leave to start their weekend. Most of the girls left with an absurd amount of giggling. Blake prepared to leave, unnoticed, but was stopped, as Harry was too, by Professor McGonagall.

"Potter, Eden, I want a word with you two," she said.

Blake and Harry stood apart in front of her desk.

"It is tradition for the champions and their partners to…"

"What partners?" Harry interrupted.

"Partners for the Yule Ball of course, dance partner," Professor Mcgonagall said simply.

"I don't dance," Blake and Harry said in unison. Blake avoided eye contact with Harry.

"Well, you will. The champions open the dance."

"I'm not dancing," Harry said.

"You must. It is traditional and as a Hogwarts Champion you must represent our school and our house,"

"we didn't ask to be…" Blake began.

"No excuses. You will both find partner. You are most surely welcome to be partners since you already are in the tournament," Professor Mcgonagall said, it sounded like a suggestion more than anything.

"But I don't… we can't," Harry began.

"It is final."

Blake turned away and walked out without another word.

"Blake, wait," Harry said running after her.

She didn't stop. He hurried after her all the way to common room. To avoid him, she hurried up into the girls dormitory.

He sighed and sank down in an armchair next to Hermione and Ron.

"You going to ask her?" Ron asked.

"I don't know. I want to, but I already know the answer," Harry said hopelessly.

They woke up the next morning ready to take on the challenge of asking a girl to the dance. As he walked down to the Great Hall with Ron and Hermione, with girls staring after him from their groups of friends.

"Why do they all travel together? How do we ask one?"

"Take your time. It is only the first day. we have a week and a half until Christmas," Hermione said.

Harry shrugged and sat down on a bench. Many girls were glancing at him from everywhere in the hall. Harry saw a group of Durmstrang boy s, along with Draco Malfoy, glancing expectantly at Blake from across the hall. She sat alone at the end of the Gryffindor, a perfect target for a desperate boy, but the indiscernible expression on her face kept them at bay. Harry wanted to go and sit next to her as if nothing had happened and they were friends again. He sighed and looked up to the post coming. He searched the ceiling for a snowy white owl. Hoping for something from Sirius, but he didn't get his hopes high. A battered owl, Harry recognized as Errol came and landed sloppily in front of Ron with a large package. Ron took it and opened it. Inside was what looked like a maroon dress with a frilly collar and sleeves. Ron stared at in disgust.

"Ginny, I think these are for you," he said across the table.

"No way. I'm not wearing that," she said.

"Ron, they are for you. They are dress robes for the ball," Hermione said

Ron had a look of disgust on his face. He hurriedly finished his breakfast and went to the dormitory where Harry assumed he shoved the box of dress robes under his bed.

"Let's go down to Hagrid's," Hermione suggested after breakfast, after Ron came down from the boys dorm to hide his dress robes.

"Okay," Harry agreed.

So they headed down to Hagrid's hut.

"Hagrid, it us," Ron said, knocking on the door.

As Hagrid opened the door he said, "Is Blake with ya?"

"Uh, no," Harry said gloomily.

Hagrid shrugged and let them in. After settling down with a cup of tea and neglected rock cakes they started up conversation.

"So, Hagrid, are you coming to the ball?" Hermione asked.

"I might pop in to see how it's going. I heard Harry was starting off the danin'. Who's your partner?"

"I don't have one yet," Harry said.

"Why don't you ask Blake?"

Harry shrugged.

* * *

As the week wore on Harry would rather have another go with the Horntail then have to ask a girl. Harry wanted to ask Cho Chang, but she was always with her friends. There was plenty of girls who heavily hinted their desire to go with him. Two girls actually asked him. One as a tall girl who looked almost murderous when he said no. The other was a second year Ravenclaw. He felt bad when she sulked away after he said no.

Over the next few days the teachers started decorating for Christmas and Harry had never seen such amazing decorations at Hogwarts. The Great Hall was still flanked with the usual dozen Christmas trees, but more than that. Holly and mistletoe was strung up all around the halls. Along with streamers and everlasting icicles that hangs from the star railing. Snow fell from the Great Hall ceiling, but would melt before even reaching the tables. Girls would gather under the mistletoe every time Harry passed and would cause traffic in the corridors so Harry resulted to using his trusty short cuts.

"Who know it could really be this hard," Ron said when a group of giggling girls walked past the Gryffindor table. Blake glared at them from down the table. She seemed to be concentrating on something on a small bit of parchment.

It was less than a week before Christmas now.

"Okay, when we get back to the common room today we will both have partners, deal?" Harry said.

"Okay."

"Hey, Harry, Ron," said a familiar voice from behind.

"Have partners yet?" Fred and George sat next to them.

"No…" Ron said.

"Better hurry, All the good ones are going quick."

"You are you going with?" Ron inquired.

"Hey, Angelina," Fred called down the table to Angelina, a chaser on the Gryffindor team who was talking to Alicia. "Want to come to the ball with me?"

"Alright then," she said and continued talking to Alicia with a smile on her face.

"I'm going with Angelina," Fred said.

Ron rolled his eyes, "We'll get partners."

Harry was distracted from the conversation. a few Durmstrangs were following Blake out of the Great Hall.

"I gotta go," Harry said, leaving is only half finished lunch and following them. When he got there one of them was approaching her. She had gotten to the top of the stairs and evidently dropped the small slip of parchment and it had floated down to the bottom. She hurried after it, but before she could even extend her hand to pick it up one of the boys placed their foot on it to stop her. She looked up at him.

"Please, I need that," she said.

"I vill give it to you," he said. "How about you come to the ball vith me?"

"I sorry, I can't," she said she tried to take the parchment out from under his foot, but didn't want to pull it hard in fear of ripping it.

"Leave her alone," Harry demanded.

They all turned around in surprise. The boy who had his foot on the parchment released as he turned around. Blake snatched it up.

"Look 'oo it is," he said advancing threateningly.

"Stop," Blake demanded. She had pulled out her wand. They looked at in surprise then gradually withdrew back into the Great Hall.

"Thanks," Harry said.

"To you too," she said and was off up the common room without another word.

Just then Cho Chang came out of the Great Hall. To her surprise she didn't have her group of friends around her. It was now or never.

"Hey, Cho," Harry said.

"Oh, Hi Harry," she said sweetly.

"I wanted to… I was wondering… doyouwanttodototheballwithme," he said quickly.

"I'm sorry?"

He took a deep breath, "I was wondering if you wanted to the ball with me."

"Oh, Harry, I'm sorry," she said sincerely. "Someone already asked me and I said yes."

"Oh, that's okay," Harry said, but his stomach had just dropped.

She gave him as sad smile and headed off the the Ravenclaw tower.

He sighed and sulked off to the common room. Blake was sitting on the window sill again. He found she was there more and more. Either doing homework or just staring out the window into the forest. At the moment, she was staring at the slip of parchment. He was about to approach her when Ron came stumbling into the common room with Hermione and Ginny. He looked completely shocked.

"What's wrong?" Harry inquired.

"well, he just asked Fleur Delacour to the ball," Ginny said. "The part veela girl."

"He sort of shouted at her," Hermione said.

"What did she say?" Harry inquired.

"She just looked at him for a moment then walked away without a word. Sort of rude," Ginny said.

Harry had to suppress a laugh.

The next night they all sat in the common room.

"Still no luck," Ron said disappointedly. "Harry why don't know go with Ginny and…"

"I already asked her. She is going with someone else," Harry said.

"Oh."

Harry glanced at Blake who was sitting in the corner reading a book.

"Have you even asked her?" Hermione asked.

"No," Harry admitted.

"Then why don't you?"

"I don't know."

Ron turned to Hermione with a look of someone who had just had the most genius idea, "Hermione."

"What?" she said looking at him a little alarmed.

"You're a girl."

"Thanks for noticing Ron," she said coldly. "Took you that long to notice."

"Why don't you come with one of us."

"You're a little too late. I'm already going with someone," she said sharply.

"Who?" Ron inquired.

"You'll see."

"Great, now we will be the only one's without partners… except Neville," Ron said.

"In case you were wondering, Neville already asked someone and she said yes," Hermione said.

"What…" Ron said. "Great, just great."

Harry sighed irritably. He glanced at Blake again.

Hermione got up, glaring at Ron and walked away, up to the girls dormitory.

"Well, so much for that," Ron said. "Harry have you even been listening? Aren't you interested in who she is going with?"

"What? Oh, noit really. It's her business. We'll find out soon enough."

Ron shrugged and sank farther into the armchair. Slowly the common room started to clear out. Harry's mind was so distracted that he barely noticed that it was almost empty. Only him, Ron and Blake lingered.

"I'll leave you two," Ron whispered and before Harry could stop him, he headed up to the dorm.

Harry went and sat next to Blake. She hadn't moved from the corner the whole evening.

"Blake, I was wondering if… you want to go to the ball with me," Harry said nervously.

"I'm I your last resort?" she asked coldly.

"No, I have been wanting to ask after I got turned down by someone else, but I couldn't make myself do it," he said.

She didn't look at him or even reply.

"So…"

She sighed, "I'm not going."

"what, but Professor Mcgonagall said…"

"Oh, yeah," she said as if she had just remembered. "Maybe I'll just show up for the first dance, but after that I have other engagements to attend to."

"Then will you go with me?"

"I'll dance with you, but don't expect anything from me after that," she said sharply.

"Of course," he said his spirits lifting. As long as he didn't show up alone for the first dance he was fine.

Blake stood and headed to the girls dormitory.

"Good night," Harry called to her and he headed off to bed as well.

* * *

At breakfast the next morning, Ron came running in with a look of relief on his face.

"What's up?" Harry inquired.

"Found a partner," Ron said triumphantly.

"Finally," Hermione said.

"So, who are you going with?" Ron asked her.

"That's none of your business," she said.

"Anyay, who are you going with?" Harry asked.

"Parvati," he said. "I think it is because I'm your best mate, but still."

Harry nodded distractedly. He had just spotted Cho at the Ravenclaw table and regretted not asking her sooner.

"She also hinted that her sister had no partner yet," Ron continued. "You could go with her."

"I already found someone," Harry said.

"Who?" Hermione asked.

"I asked Blake last night. She said she would show up for the first dance but after that she was leaving. That's fine with me though. I just didn't want to show up alone for the first dance. I don't plan on dancing much more after that," Harry said.

"She actually said yes?" Ron said as if he didn't believe it.

"I guess. It was more like a 'only because I have to' sort of thing." Harry said honestly.

"Well, at least she agreed. That's a good sign. Maybe you can ask her about working out the egg again," Hermione suggested.

"Hermione, he's got week. Lay off." Ron said.

"If you say so," she said doubtfully. "But until then you two should be working on you homework."

"We have all break," Ron protested.

"You'll wish you did after Christmas when you only have two days to do it until classes start up again," Hermione said.

Ron rolled his eyes. Harry wasn't really worried about his homework or the egg. He had weeks until the task and he could probably convince Blake to help him… maybe.


	16. The Yule Ball

On Christmas Eve the castle was buzzing with talk of the Yule Ball. Harry and Ron sat in the common room being forced to do their homework be Hermione. Harry finally finished an essay and pushed it away irritably.

"So much for relaxing," he said.

"What!? You're already done? I still have seven inches left," Ron said.

"Better hurry up. Dinner is going to be soon," Harry said.

Ron quickly began scribbling information, trying to write as big as possible without making it look conspicuous. He finished just in time. Everyone started leaving the common room to go down to dinner.

Hermione scolded them once again for leaving off their homework.

"We still have a few days after Christmas," Ron said. "Plus we got a chart and two essays done today because of your nagging."

"And don't you feel better?"

"No, I feel like I wasted my Christmas Eve," he said.

"Honestly," she said, but said nothing more than that.

Harry looked up from his plate at Cho Chang, still regretting not getting to her first. He decided to avert his attention to his partner for the dance, who still sat alone then to his surprise he say Fred, George and Lee sit next to her. Just close enough to hear.

"How's it going with the egg?" Fred asked.

Blake just shrugged.

"I've heard you had a row with Harry," George said slyly.

"We didn't have a row," she said. "We just decided that we were better off as only teammates and nothing else."

_We decided?_ Harry thought.

"Uh, huh," Fred mused. "So who are you going to the ball with?"

"Why does it matter?" she asked

"Lee here has no one to go with," George said.

Lee smiled sheepishly.

"I'm sorry," she said earnestly. "I can't. I'm already going with someone."

"Who?"

"Harry," she said almost bitterly.

"You don't sound too happy about that," George said. "You sure you didn't have a row?"

"Of course I'm sure," she said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I am feeling quite tired and am going to bed."

Fred and George looked at each other and shrugged, "Sorry mate." they said patting Lee on the back.

Slowly people started leaving the Great Hall, ready to go to bed. Harry, Ron and Hermione headed up to the common room, but soon went to bed.

Harry couldn't fall asleep for a while. His thoughts were jumping all over the place. From Cho to Blake even to Rita's article. He fell asleep with a restless feeling.

In the girls dormitory, Blake lay awake staring up, laying in the most uncomfortable position so not to fall asleep.

Harry woke up with the winter sun streaming through the windows. He looked over and almost fell out of bed. There was Dobby staring back at him.

"Happy Christmas," he squeaked. He handed Harry a small package which contained an odd pair of socks with broomstick and Snitch patterns. "Dobby has made them himself."

"Thanks, Dobby. I have something for you," only Harry didn't He rummaged in his trunk and found an old pair of socks that had once been Uncle Vernon's. "I didn't wrap them, sorry."

"Dobby loves socks," Dobby said pulling them on over the pair he had on. "Oh, but they gave you the same two at the shop."

"Here Dobby. Have these. Then then they can be different," Ron said. "And this."

Ron threw Dobby a pair of socks and Mrs. Weasley's hand knitted sweater which he had shrunk to fit Dobby.

"Oh, thank you sir. You is very kind to Dobby."

"Ah, it's nothing." Ron said, but smiled as Dobby pulled on the sweater.

"Dobby must be going. Big preparations for Christmas dinner."

"Thanks," Harry said and with a pop the elf was gone.

Harry opened the rest of his presents which were much more delighting then Dobby's socks. He got what included a Quidditch book from Hermione, a large bag of Dungbombs from Ron, the usual Mrs. Weasley sweater that had a dragon on it, all of Harry's favorite sweets from Hagrid and a handy knife that could lock and unlock anything and undo any knot from Sirius.

Harry, Ron and Hermione went down to breakfast together. To Harry's surprise and delight Hedwig came soaring in with a letter from Sirius.

_Harry_

_Go to the outskirts of Hogwarts on your next Hogsmeade trip. I need to speak with you. Bring Ron and Hermione…. and some food, as much as you can carry._

_Sirius_

Harry was a bit worried that Sirius might actually be there, but couldn't help hoping to see his godfather.

Later that day after lunch they went outside and had a snowball fight with Fred, George, Lee and Ginny, in which Hermione sat with a book and watched. To Harry's surprise, Blake came out and watched for a while. She seemed to be in a good mood. She smiled and occasionally laughed when someone was hit with a snowball. One of Fred's snowballs went astray and hit her in the face. She stood shocked for a moment, then bent down and scooped up some snow and hurled it at Fred, who ducked and it hit Harry square in the face. She roared with laugher and joined in the fun. For a while it was like nothing has happened between them.

"Well, I need to go get ready," Hermione said, standing up and brushing off the snow.

"You need three hours?" Fred inquired.

She didn't reply. She was already to the doors when Ron called after her, "Who are you going with?"

"We'll just have to see," Harry said.

Soon Ginny withdrew herself from the fun, "I have to go get ready too."

"Hey, third years can;t go," Ron said.

"Someone asked me," Ginny said simply.

"Who?"

"Neville," she said and headed off to the castle.

Blake, too left right after Ginny. It wasn't quite as fun without those two so they all headed in as well.

Soon Ron, Harry and Seamus were all in the Entrance Hall in dress robes. Ron's robes weren't as bad since he had charmed off the lace, but now his sleeve and collar were frayed. Harry's dress robes were bottle green and he quite liked them. Girls stood around waiting for their partners. All in beautiful gowns. Fleur came through the doors in a long silver gown and Roger Davis hurried forward to accompany her into the Great Hall. Ron stared after the asd they went

"Who are you going with?" Seamus asked for the sake of conversation.

"Blake."

"Parvati."

"How did you end up with Parvati?"

"Because I'm Harry's best mate is my guess."

Soon Seamus was taken away by Lavender Brown and Ron with Parvati into the Great Hall. As Harry waited he wondered where Hermione was. He hadn't seen her since she had left to get ready.

"Potter, where is your partner?" Professor Mcgonagall asked.

"She's not down here yet."

"And where is Miss Eden?"

"She is my partner."

"Good good." and she hurried off. Harry's stomach did a flop as he saw Cedric and Cho entering the Great Hall, arm in arm. So that who she was going with. He tried to ignore them. Cho had a sweet smile on her face and looked beautiful. She was wearing a beautiful pink gown decorated with intricate pattern of flowers. Just then Victor Krum entered with a beautiful girl in a blue gown Harry didn't recognize.

"Yes, it is much colder in vinter," Krum was saying to her. As they passed it took Harry a moment to realize it was Hermione. Her hair was sleek and shiny, not it's usual bushy and curly. As he watched them go into the Great Hall someone coming down the stairs.

He looked up to see Blake descending the stairs. He gaped at her. She was so beautiful. He hated admitting it, but Cho may be beautiful, but Blake was breathtaking. Her black hair was delicately draped on her bare shoulders. Her dress was a light lilac color with small jewels craftily arranged to decorate the top half. It had spaghetti straps and it sweeped the floor. She seemed to be radiating a sort of warm glow, though Harry would have never dared tell her that. One thing seemed out of place though. Around her forearm was the usual medical wrap. She didn't even take it off for this.

She smiled slightly as they became level with each other. Then her smiled faded. She studied Harry's almost mesmerized expression, and said in a cold voice that did not match the beautiful delicate appearance.

"This doesn't change anything.

Harry nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Without another cold word to utter, they headed into the Great Hall.

"Shall we go inside?" she said.

Harry nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

The house tables were gone, replaced, but small round table with blue, sparkling table cloths. All the champions sat at tables on the raised platform where also the headmasters sat. Harry and Blake found themselves at a table with Krum and Hermione.

Dumbledore, on a table to their right, picked up a menu and scanned it.

"Pork," he said and upon his plate appeared what he had said. Soon everyone followed suit, choosing what they wanted from the menu. To Harry's relief, Hermione did not seem to be thinking about the extra work the house elves probably had to do to provide this service. Harry was surprised to find himself thinking about. he soon brushed it from his mind.

"Herm-own-ninny, your look beautiful."

"Oh thank you," she said, not bothering to correct him.

Harry looked out among the heads of student's. He say Ron's head staring down grudgingly at him plate. He had obviously noticed Hermione.

Blake next to him hadn't even requested any food onto her plate.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked.

"I'm not hungry," she said simply.

Harry shrugged and finished eating.

"The champions will now lead us in the first dance," Dumbledore announced swishing his wand sending all the tables to line up against the wall.

All the champions made their way to the empty floor where all the tables had been moments before. Harry gingerly placed his hand on Blake's slender waist and she was the one who had to take his hand. The music started and they started waltzing.

Harry steps were clumsily and he often came close to stepping on Blake's feet.

"Sorry," he would mumble everytime he made her stumble, but everytime he mumbled the word he saw that she was suppressing a smile.

Gradually others started joining in the dancing. Dumbledore danced with Professor McGonagall. Hagrid, danced with Madam Maxime, carving a path through the dancers as the waltzed. Harry looked around and say Hermione with a wide grin on her face as she danced and so did Cho. He watched as she danced with Cedric. Harry hardly noticed that some boys were glaring at him jealous and girls were glancing back at him as the danced past. When he finally noticed he could help thinking along the lines of, Blake was indeed one of the most beautiful girls in the room.

Finally the song ended and a feel people wandered off the dance floor. Ron pulled Parvati away to a table and slouched down, clearly unhappy. Harry made to go over to him, but the next song begun.

"One more dance," she said. Harry didn't expect to hear this, but he obliged all the same. Maybe this meant things were changing. She even seemed to be enjoying herself, no matter how much she tried to conceal it.

After their second dance Harry parted from Blake to go talk to Ron.

"What's up?"

"Them," he said moodily.

Harry followed his gaze to Hermione and Krum dancing.

"Looks like you and Blake are getting along again," Ron said to change the subject.

"I guess. I don't really know," Harry said. Blake was making her way toward him with two glasses of butterbeer. She handed one to him and slouched down in a chair next to him. She drained her cup in a feel gulps and placed it on a near by table.

"I should be going," she said.

"But…." Harry began.

She shook her head and headed for the doors.

"Mind if I go after her?" Harry asked.

"Be my guest. I'm not going to do anything to stop you," Ron said. Harry gave him the butterbeer which he thought might have been a means to distract him from following her.

Harry found her going out into grounds. She carved a path through the snow with her wand and hurried down to the forest. She concealed the path behind her so not to be followed. She kept glancing back at the castle, like she thought she might be followed. Harry bolted up to the boys dormitory and snatched up his Invisibility Cloak. By the time he got back to the grounds, Blake was disappearing into the trees. He threw the cloak over himself and hurried after her, but was sure to cover his path as well. He paused at the forest edge.

_Should I really be following her?_ he thought. _I'm just proving that I don't trust her._

He bit his lip, unsure of what to do next. He was already there, so why not keep following? He sighed and turned back. He wanted her complete trust, and even if she didn't know he was there, this would not earn it.

He went back up to the castle covering his tracks once again. He pulled off the cloak and returned it back to his dormitory. Ron was sitting in the same place her had left him. Parvati was no longer with him.

"Where's Parvati?" Harry inquired.

"Off with some Beauxbatons boy," he said. "Where's Blake."

Harry shrugged, "I don't know. I couldn't find her," he lied.

Harry and Ron sluked on the edge of the dance floor. Ron watched moodily as Hermione danced with Krum and Harry watched longingly as Cho danced with Cedric. Harry almost regretted not following Blake as he sat there with nothing to do, but stare at Cho and drink a glass or two of butterbeer. He could be watching Blake practicing unique magic or maybe unwrap her mysterious injury. For them both, it was not a good Christmas any more.

* * *

Blake found the clearing and her face broke into a smile at the sight of it. For Christmas, Magnus had done his best to make it welcoming. The ground would not have been covered with snow due to the thick trees, but he had made it so that a very thin layer of magical, glittering snow blanketed the ground. Silver sashes were tied around the trees and gold and silver christmas baubles hung from the tree's lowest branches. She looked around taking in the welcoming scene.

Just as she was wondering where Magnus was he emerged from the trees. She smiled at the sight of him.

He was much taller than her, almost a whole head taller. Maybe it was because he was three years older than her. His unruly, slightly overgrown black hair, that was so black it almost looked midnight blue in some light, fell in front of his eyes. He pushed it aside revealing his stunning blue eyes. He hadn't bothered to wear dress robes and Blake was relieved by this. She couldn't imagine Magnus in nice clothes, trying to look nice. He had at least found a clean white button up shirt, versus his dirt smudged one he usually wore. He had only had the patience enough to tuck half of it in, giving him a handsomely rugged look. His hands were dug deep in his pockets adding to the rugged, but handsome look

"So are you going to say something?" he asked.

"You look very handsome," she said, but was not quite sure herself if it was sincere. She had never really seen her best friend as handsome though any other girl would say he was.

"You look even more beautiful," he said and he meant it even though she didn't believe it.

"I'm glad we are speaking normally tonight," she said for the sake of conversation.

"It is a special occasion so I thought 'Why not?'" he said with a shrug. "Anyway, why did you want to do this?"

"Well, honestly I love to dance I just told Harry and Professor Mcgonagall otherwise. I just wanted to spend this night with my actual friend and with someone who I… remotely trust," she said. "Anyway, I didn't want my closest friend to be alone on Christmas night. I even brought you a present, but you don't get it yet."

Magnus let a flicker of a smile play across his face. Smile? No it was more like the corner of his mouth twitched. Blake noticed, but pretended not to because she knew he would deny it if she said anything.

"Magnus I was wondering about your school," she said for the sake of conversation.

"What about it? It isn't my school anymore anyway. I got expelled, remember."

"Well, yeah, but I haven't really heard of the school before. I researched it and only found a page worth of information on it."

"It is a very confined magical school. It is called , if I recall, the Safe Academy. It is a boys academy for magic. It isn't a very good school, I must admit, nothing compared to Hogwarts. Some of their teaching and discipline tactics aren't really legal according to any magical ministry," Magnus said. "Now are we going to dance or what."

Blake nodded and extended her hand. He took and pulled her close, placing his hand on her waist. A soft soothing music, similar to that of a music box, began to ring through the clearing. She couldn't help smiling and could have sworn even more than a twitch of the mouth flickered across Magnus's mouth as they danced.

* * *

Harry and Ron finally got tired of sulking and spying so they headed out into the grounds. As the walked they heard Karkaroff's voice.

"It's getting more clearer by the day. You can not deny it," he said, a tone of panic in his voice. "Ever since the World Cup."

"Do not think I have not noticed," came Snape's voice. Just then they came into view, both Karkaroff and Snape stopped dead in their tracks.

"Potter, Weasley, what are you doing?"

"Walking," Harry said coolly.

"Don't give me that," Snape snapped.

Karkaroff and Snape walked away glaring back and Ron and Harry suspiciously.

"What do you suppose that was about?" Ron asked.

Harry shrugged.

"I knew it the moment I saw you," said a much too familiar voice.

Harry and Ron froze. Hagrid's voice carried to them from the other side of an ice sculpture.

"I got it from me Mom. Never seen 'er though. Always just been me and me dad 'till 'e died," Hagrid said. "Tiny little feller me dad was. I could pick 'im up by the age of ten."

Hagrid and Madam Maxime gave a hearty laugh.

"Where do you get it?" Hagrid asked.

Harry and Ron didn't move. Harry tried to concentrate all his attention on a beetle at the base of the statue, but the voices continued to carry to his ears.

"Excuse me?" Madam Maxime said.

"You're giants blood o' course."

"I am no giant. I am just big boned.," she said standing. She walked away fast and briskly.

Hagrid sat, perplexed on the bench staring out at the lake. Ron and Harry seized the chance to remove themselves from the premises. They hurried back into the castle and found Hermione bidding goodnight to Krum.

"Where have to two been?" she inquired.

Ron didn't reply he just glared at Krum as he headed out the doors.

"Where is Blake?" Hermione asked, ignoring Ron.

"I don't know. She went into the forest," Harry said.

"Why didn't you follow her?"

Harry avoided eye contact not want to explain his trust concept. Hermione shrugged it off.

"Why did you go wit him?" Ron said suddenly.

"Excuse me?" Hermione said.

Harry knew where this was headed, "Look I don't really mind going with Krum to the ball."

"He is the enemy," Ron said ignoring Harry.

"You were the one who wanted his autograph," Hermione said hotly crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, that was before he was competing against, Harry," Ron said.

"When did he become the enemy? When you finally realized that Harry didn't put his name in the goblet. It took you long enough to realize."

"Don't start there. I bet it was Blake," Ron said.

"Don't start on her Ron," Harry butted in.

"Sorry," Ron said sincerely. "I just got angry."

"Look, let's just go to bed and stop bickering," Harry said who was getting tired of the two and was also worrying about Blake. They were both surprised when he snapped so went up to the common room without protest. Hermione went to bed without another word. Both Harry and Ron went to change. Ron prepared to go to bed, but Harry went back downstairs to wait for Blake.

* * *

"You need to make up with Harry," Magnus said abruptly.

"What? I can't have him as a friend you know that…. I shouldn't. It could be horrible for him."

"I know, but you have to. You just have to be friends with him. You can drop him after the tournament."

"That's heartless."

Magnus shrugged, "What can I say. I'm a heartless person."

Blake rolled her eyes, "But why?"

"You have to work together to get through the next two tasks and if you can't do that when you won't even talk to him."

"I've talked to him," she protested. Blake looked down at the sparkling snow, "Harry can't be my friend. I would rather die in the tournament then put him in harm's way by being his friend. I never know when it might happen."

"It isn't going to happen again. Your father is gone. He can't do anything to hurt you," Magnus said. "He's gone."

Blake shook her head," You're wrong. He's coming… soon. And if I get too close to Harry he could… he…" She couldn't even finish the sentence. Just the thought of it tore at her heart.

"Blake, he is gone. You have to face that. If you don't you'll be living in dread for the rest of your life."

"He is not gone. I told you that," Blake shouted, beginning to get angry. "You obviously don't care about what happens to Harry, but I do. You seem to care only what happens to me, but I don't. I don't care about what happens to me. I care about what happens to Harry. He helped escape myself. all this time I had been pretending to be happy. I faked my smiles, but…" She calmed down and looked away from Magnus, the tears coming to her eyes and rolling down her cheeks, dropping into the snow. "When I became friends with them I started to realize that I wasn't pretending. My smile and feeling were real. I was happy…" A small mile curved up Blake's lips. "I was actually living."

Magnus did not like this. He had wanted to be the one to do that for Blake, but he was sensitive or kind. His thoughts and emotions were reeling as Blake spoke. Harry was ruining everything.

"You only feel that way because he is the famous Harry Potter," Magnus retorted. Blake looked up in shock. "If it wasn't for the scar on his forehead then he would be no different from anyone else. My point is he is only famous because of that scar, but other than that he is like any other wizard."

"No," Blake said firmly. "He is different and not because of the scar."

"Then what is it?" he didn't wait for a reply. "He is no different. He is as insignificant as any other gullible, oblivious person. He sees nothing in you. Same with you. If it wasn't for that… that… thing on your arm, you would be like every other person."

Magnus hardly ever pushed Blake's emotions too far, but when he did he did it the worst way. Blake stared forward into the trees, her back to Magnus and tears streaming down her cheeks.

"You can say whatever you want about me, but you're wrong about Harry," she said in a shaky voice. "Harry cares. He is different not because of the scar on his forehead, but because of his heart. He cares about others and he has something you, me and so many other people don;t have. He has love. He has people who love and care about him, unlike me and you."

"You have your mom, I have no one," Magnus said. He didn't see how his words were affecting Blake.

"You have me and don't think you know me," Blake said her anger boiling up again. Her emotions were all over the place. She had been holding them all in for so long that they were just spilling out, but the tears still fell down her face into the snow. "My mom only pretends. She doesn't love me. She loved my father and he lied to her and ripped her heart out. I read her journal. She thinks I am a cursed child. She used to love as a baby, but after the incident, she saw me as a child of hell. She doesn't want me and she hates pretending. She hates me. I don't know why she doesn't just kill me. The only reason she keeps me is to protect the world from me. She doesn't love me. No one has ever loved it wasn't for him, she would love me. I could be happy, but I'm not because of my father."

Magnus's bitter feeling were still stirring inside and he had not grasped the moment for one of pity, "You're right. And Harry doesn't love you either. He doesn't care about you."

This had been stirring in Blake's mind for sometime, but to have it said to her made it all too real for her to handle. She sank to her knees and began to sob.

Magnus regretted saying that the moment the words left his mouth, "Blake, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it." He knelt next to her.

"No, you're right," she said. Her face was buried in her hands, trying to hide the tears. Magnus placed his arm around Blake, but she threw it off. "Leave me alone." She shouted. She stood and ran out of the clearing leaving Magnus behind...

* * *

Well after midnight Blake came through the portrait hole. Harry sat in front of the dying fire and was alert. When Blake came in he knew in an instant something was wrong. Tears streaked Blake's cheeks and he dress was soaked up to the knees. She was shivering from head to toe.

"Harry…. I didn't know you were up," she said trying to sound casual, but her voice was shaky.

"I was waiting for you?"

"Really? You didn't have to."

"I wanted to know if you were okay and clearly, you're not."

"I'm fine," she lied. The biggest lie. "Don't worry yourself with me."

"Are you sure? I want to help?"

"No, it's okay," she said, putting on a smile. "Maybe someday I'll tell you, but not now. We need to get rest and start progress on the egg."

"You're going to help."

"Of course. We are a team," she said. She had to pretend, for now, that all was fine and that she was Harry's friend. Inside she was dying to tell him and explain why he should avoid her. She never knew when she could unintentionally threaten his life.


	17. Trust

**Sorry this chapter took so long. I have been so busy, but here it is! The next one will take a while to because I have to start school soon. Anyway, sorry for any typos, grammar errors and so on. I'm not very good at that stuff. And just heads up, this story, though it is based on the fourth book, it will take a few different courses so don't be surprised if I leave stuff out or add stuff or if events are out of order. Thanks for reading. Enjoy! Please leave reviews! Thanks!**

* * *

Boxing Day was always the day people were hurriedly finished homework. To Harry the second task seemed much closer on this side of Christmas. Before the trip to Hogsmeade he got a portion of his homework done (with Hermione's assistance).

First wind of trouble was when Hagrid wasn't up at the staff table, that and the Slytherin's snickering. Soon the got a hold of a daily prophet and say why. There was a whole article written about Hagrid, Dumbledore's mistake of hiring him and the danger of giants written by none other than Rita Skeeter.

"How could she know?" Harry muttered.

"What?" Ron said.

"There is know why she would know all this unless she was listening to what Hagrid told Madam Maxime the night of the Yule Ball," Harry said.

"What are you talking about, Harry?" Hermione asked addressing Harry.

So he told them all about what they had heard that night.

"Well, it's no surprise," she said. "I don't see any reason for Hagrid to be upset."

They shrugged, unsure of the whole situation as it was.

Harry took his emptied book bag down to the Great Hall for lunch and crammed it with food for Sirius.

Ron and Hermione walked in silence with Harry in between them. They had reached an unspoken decision. As they headed down Blake came hurrying after them from the castle.

"May I walk with you?" she asked.

Ron raised his eyebrows at Harry as if to say "Is everything good now?'

Hermione bit her lip and glanced at Harry uncertainly as if to say "What about Sirius?"

Well, this is what Harry was thinking so that was how he interrupted their expressions.

Sirius obviously did not trust her, but he didn't even know her. Would she keep the secret? Could he even trust her?

Questions and doubts buzzed in Harry's head, but none of them lingered for long. He knew he could trust her, but some other part of him didn't. She had never done anything to betray his trust. From how she put it, she had been avoiding him to protect him. Despite his curiosity of what she was protecting him from he trusted that it was all for good reason.

"Harry, can I come with you guys?" Blake asked bringing him back to reality and not the confinement of him mind.

"Sure," he said.

Hermione narrowed her eyes, "Are you sure?" she whispered.

"I trust her," was Harry's short answer.

They made their way to the outskirts of Hogsmeade looking for some sign of Sirius. Blake did not ask questions. She just followed along.

Finally they came to the very edge of Hogsmeade and saw a big black shaggy dog waiting at the foot of a rocky mountain. It had a newspaper grasped in it's mouth.

The dog eyes Blake for a moment and seemed to give Harry an inquiring look. Then turned around and walked away. Harry hurried after at it with Blake at his heels. Hermione and Ron hesitated for a split second then hurried after them.

The dog led them up the mountain side. It was much harder for the four friends to weave through the rocks and trees than it was for the dogs. Now and then they lost sight of the dog, but not for too long. Finally they made it to a cave with a small opening in. The dog squeezed inside.

They all stopped to catch their breath before slipping inside. Harry stopped Blake before she went in.

"Blake, you can't tell anyone about who is in there," Harry said.

"I know," was her simple answer. "I would never dream of betraying your trust. Unless of course I had to to protect you."

Harry was shocked for a moment and barely noticed as Blake pulled him inside. She really was beyond the definition of selfless.

Inside the cave, Sirius stood staring at Blake. Buckbeak laid in a corner tearing at a dead rat.

"Oh, look it's Buckbeak," Hermione said, bowing to Buckbeak and went to stroke him after he had bowed his head back.

"Is this her?" Sirius asked, still staring at Blake."

Harry nodded, "Sirius, this is Blake. Blake this is my godfather Sirius."

"Black," Blake said.

Sirius nodded and beckoned to Harry, "Harry, I know you trust her, but I by no means trust her. You shouldn't have brought her. Revealing me to her could be fatal, she could be a traitor."

"You may not trust her, but I do and I know she will not turn you in."

Sirius shrugged as if it didn't bother him even though it did. He pulled a chicken leg out of the bag and began gobbling it down.

"Sirius are you okay? You look awful," Hermione said and indeed he did.

His hair was ratted and long. His clothes were tattered and worn. To add to his look, he had vague shadows under his eyes.

"I'll be fine. I've been here for quite some time. I've been well off enough/ I've been stealing thrown out Daily Prophets and it looks like a lot is going on up at the school."

To anyone of them "well off" was obviously not treating Sirius well.

Harry nodded watching Sirius, "Sirius are you sure you are okay?"

"Harry, I'm fine. You should be worrying about yourself. Someone is trying to kill you" he said almost matter of factly. "Whoever entered you in the tournament is not friend of yours." His eyes flickered over to Blake, who was stroking Buckbeak with Hermione.

"Sirius, it wasn't her. She was stricken the night we found out we were entered and you don't know how hard things are for her."

"Do you?"

"Well… no not really. I only know a bit, but of what I've heard she had a hard life."

"Exactly, all the bad guys do."

"She isn't the 'bad guy' here," Harry said. "Whoever is trying to kill me is trying to kill her too."

"Harry, I'll trust your judgement on this, but… I'll keep my eye out."

Harry noticed Blake eyeing him and she immediately stood when she caught his eye.

"I must go," she said. "It was wonderful meeting you Mr. Black."

"don't let her go, she might go tell someone," Sirius whispered out of the corner of his mouth to Harry.

For the first time Harry defied his godfather.

"Is something wrong?" Harry asked.

"No, everything is fine." and she left.

"Harry, go stop her," Sirius demanded. "I don't trust the in the slightest. She is going to go turn me. She is evil, I can feel it. Something about her isn't right."

"Don't accuse her of something like that. Sirius, she won't turn you in I know it." Harry said, absolutely sure of himself and almost mad at his godfather. "Trust her… Please... trust me."

Sirius stared into Harry's green eyes and that's what made him believe him, he was Lily's son.

"Okay," Sirius gave in. "You three should probably go soon yourself. Harry, keep your eyes peeled, especially around Karkaroff."

Harry nodded, "Goodbye Sirius."

Sirius nodded back and Harry, Ron and Hermione slipped out of the cave. Just as they did Harry saw a sheet of black hair disappear behind a tree.

"She heard it all," Harry sighed.

Once they finished the long climb down Harry saw Blake hurrying away to the castle from the main road of Hogsmeade.

They stopped by the Three Broomsticks for a butter beer and found Ludo Bagman there. Harry tried to avoid him, but it was futile.

"Ah Harry. I've been hoping to run into you," he said. "So how is the egg coming along, boy?"

"Uh… fine," he lied.

"Good, good. Do you need any pointers?"

"As in help? But sir, you aren't allowed to help me," Harry said.

"I know, but…"

"It's fine sir. I have Blake."

"Yes, your partner. I'm not so sure about that one," he said. "So mysterious, just popping out of no where, to share you glory."

"Excuse me?" Harry couldn't understand why everyone was so suspicious about Blake.

"She just a little suspicious," he said. "Something tells me she entered you."

"You're wrong," Harry said firmly. "She doesn't even want to be in this tournament. Leave her alone."

"Of course, sorry Harry."

Harry turned away and spotted Ron and Hermione at a far off table with three butter beers. He hurried over, but didn't bother to sit down. He quickly drained his and made to leave.

"Where are you going?" Ron asked.

"To find Blake and apologize for Sirius's suspicions and to ask her to help me with the egg," Harry said. "I'll see you tonight."

He practically sprinted to the castle, and up the steps to the common room, but just as he got to the top he heard his name.

"Hey Potter."

Harry spun around to find Cedric Diggory at the bottom of the steps, surprisingly alone.

"Uh, yeah?"

Cedric beckoned to him so Harry trudged back down the stairs.

"So have you figured out the egg yet?" he asked once Harry reached him.

"Uh…. yeah."

"Really?"

"No," Harry admitted.

"Why don't you go to the prefects bathroom and take a bath? Password is 'pine fresh'. Just think things over in the hot water," he said.

"yeah, thanks… wait what?"

"The prefects bathroom, take the egg in there," he said then he chuckled. "Take Blake alone with you."

Harry scowled, "Yeah right."

"Just a suggestion," he shrugged and walked away.

Harry stood on the step, confused. More than half of that conversation made no sense to him. He shook his head, bewildered and hurried back up the stairs and through the portrait hole.

Blake was sitting on the window sill staring out into the snowy grounds. In her hand was a small bit of parchment that he had seen her with a lot lately.

"Hey," he said, announcing himself.

She looked up, unfazed by his sudden appearance, "hey," she replied dully.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine," she shrugged.

"I'm sorry about Sirius," he said.

"It's okay, he's not the only one. Everyone is a little suspicious about me."

"What do you mean?" he asked, though he knew exactly what she meant.

"How I suddenly appeared to stand in the spotlight with the famous Harry Potter. How no one really knows who I am or my background or really anything," she said. "I'm not one special who suddenly stepped up the being the Triwizard tournament as a partner of you, famous Harry Potter. Some even think it was me who entered our names. I've heard them talking."

Harry sighed and stepped forward, "But it wasn't you," it wasn't a question, it was a statement. "I don't believe any of that."

She smiled without looking at him.

"What's that?" he asked changing the subject and pointing at the bit of parchment in her hand.

She quickly concealed it in her fist, "Nothing important."

"okay… so about the egg…"

"Cedric told me to go take a bath," she said. "You can go do it. I don't want to."

"but I… I probably wouldn't be able to figure it out on my own."

"Don't doubt yourself. The clue won't be to complicated that no one can figure it out," she said. "Just don't forget to tell me."

"But Blake we are a team."

"Do you really think I am going to go take a bath with you?" she said, expressionlessly.

"Well, we could wear clothes…" he said awkwardly.

"No," she said flatly.

"Then you go," he said.

"Don't be stubborn," she said.

He crossed his arms, "We have to work as a team."

"Fine, we'll go together, just don't make it awkward," she said.

"Harry, you told me you figured it out weeks ago," Hermione said that evening. "The next task is less than a week away."

"Oh, really Hermione? I didn't know."

"You are so stubborn sometime."

"Stop bickering," Blake demanded. "We will have it worked out soon and once we do it'll be fine."

Harry nodded.

That night they planned to sneak out late to the prefects bathroom, just to get as much privacy as possible.

A few hours later they found themselves under the invisibility cloak, sneaking down the hallway. Blake held tightly to the egg, careful not to drop it. They ran into Peeves once, but he was only through slugs around and luckily not one hit them.

Soon the reached the bathroom.

"Pine fresh," Blake whispered and it allowed them in.

They crept in and looked around in awe. This bathroom as big, as in really big. The bath was the size of a small swimming pool, it even had a diving board. It was surrounded by many different faucets. There was a beautiful picture of a sleeping mermaid, snoozing quietly in her frame.

They turned the taps and dozens of soap splashed against the bottom and finally Blake found the water faucet. The small pool slowly filled and when it did the surface was invisible under the bubbles from the dozens of soaps.

Blake slipped into the water in a muggle T-shirt and short shorts, slipped off her slippers first. Harry quickly stripped down to his undershorts and clambered into the water after her. Blake reached out and pulled the egg into the water.

"So… now what?" Harry said.

"Well, my guess is we should open it…"

"You should open it under water, that's what he did," said a voice.

The both spun around in the water to see Moaning Myrtle.

"Myrtle!" Harry exclaimed.

"Hello Harry," she said with a wink and a smile. "Haven't seen you in a while. Why haven't you visited me?"

"Sorry, Myrtle I have been… busy," he said trying to hide the discomfort from his voice.

"And who is she?" Myrtle scowled at Blake.

"My friend," Harry said. "Myrtle, did you say to put it in the water."

"That's what I was going to say," Blake murmured irritably.

"That's what he did, Cedric, the handsome boy," she giggled.

Blake rolled her eyes and dunked the egg underwater. When she opened it a soft murmur came from underwater. They looked at each other, nodded and ducked down into the water.

A sweet song echoed in the water around them:

_Come seek us where our voices sound,_

_We cannot sing above the ground,_

_And while you're searching ponder this;_

_We've taken what you'll sorely miss,_

_An hour long you'll have to look,_

_And to recover what we took,_

_But past an hour, the prospect's black,_

_Too late, it's gone, it won't come back._

They both resurfaced and took in a breathe, but soon dipped down again to listen to it again. After the second time the sat pondering for a moment.

"Come seek us where our voices sound… we can not sing above the ground," Harry repeated.

They both paused for a minute or two to think. Not a noise interrupted their thoughts except for a barely audible dripped faucet.

"The Blake Lake," the said in unison.

"Mermaids," Blake said.

"Are the mermaids in the Blake Lake?"

"Obviously," she said.

"Ooo, very good. It took that stupid boy hours to figure it out even with that silly mermaid flopping about," Myrtle said. "Well, I should be off."

"Thanks Myrtle," Harry said.

"Come visit me soon, Harry," she said and with a scowl at Blake she left.

"They will take something we need to get back, but after an hour it's over," Blake said thoughtfully. "How is this going to work if we are on a team?"

Harry shrugged.

The discussed the song for awhile longer then got out and drained it. They dried off thoroughly with the fluffy towels stacked on a shelf.

They slowly sneaked back to the common room, Harry keeping a careful eye on the map. Something on the map caught his eye.

Barty Crouch's name was hovering around in Snape's office.

"Blake, look," Harry whispered.

"Barty… why would he be here?"

Harry shrugged. They peeled their eyes away from the map as the name as leaving the office. When the reached the entrance hall and headed up the stairs, Harry accidently stepped on the cloak and it slipped off their heads. The map slipped from Harry's hands and fluttered down the stairs. A boot and a fake leg stooped down and scarred hands picked it up. They both looked up to see Moody.

Blake glared up at him.

"Potter, Eden," he said gruffly. "What are you doing out?"

"W...we were…" Harry stuttered.

"Never mind, what is this?" Moody asked holding up the map.

Harry had forgot to clear it so couldn't make up any good excuse, "A map." He thought he would get in trouble.

"Hmm… may I borrow it?"

"What… yeah sure professor," Harry said relieved.

"Good, no put that back on and off to bed, now," he barked.

Just as they pulled it on Snape and Filch came running.

"Moody have you seen anyone out here?" Filch said. "If a students out of bed I'll…."

"Hang them by their thumbs in the dungeon? But no, I've seen no one," Moody huffed. "...Why?"

"Someone… has broken into my office," Snape said slowly.

"It's quite a mess," Filch said. "Worth a big punishment."

"What do I care?"

Harry and Blake quietly went up the stairs away from the scene. When they got to the common room the pulled off the invisibility cloak and sank down into armchairs.

"I wonder what that was about?" Blake said.

Harry shrugged, "I don't know," he sighed. "I thought Ron and Hermione might wait for us."

This time, Blake shrugged, "We need to focus on the task ahead. He need to figure out how to breathe under water."

"No one can breathe underwater for an hour," Harry said with a yawn.

"Lets work on it tomorrow, and get some sleep," she said. "We are both tired and need the rest."

They bid each other goodnight, but as Blake turned to go up the stairs she paused and turned back to Harry.

"Harry," she said, pausing to consider her next words. "Do you trust me? Even with everything everyone is saying?"

Harry didn't even hesitate, "Yes I trust you, but…" he paused. "Why can't you trust me? Why can't you tell me anything?"

"Because if I don't want to hurt you and… there is a possibility that is I tell you, you won't trust me anymore."

"But I will always trust you, I promise."

"You say that now, but things might change if I actually tell you. If I tell you, your promise to always trust me will be clouded by your thoughts and emotions," she said. "The truth might me to much for you to take and so your judgement will be clouded. Promises aren't worth making if you can't keep them."

"But…"

"No, Harry," she said. "I would trust you if you weren't… you."

She turned and headed up the stairs to the girls dormitory. Harry watched her go, her long black hair whipping around the corner.

"I would trust you if you weren't you," her voice said in his head. How could be someone other than himself? Or was it because of his past, present and future and everything else in his life that was so out-of-the-ordinary from a normal witch or wizard?

_I wonder if she is doing okay? What emotions and thoughts is she still holding in? Is she still hurting after the Yule Ball? _Harry thought_._ So many questions unasked, Questions he needed to know the answer to.

He was determined to find out after the task. She was keeping to much from him. They would have to trust each other fully for the third task, but he couldn't do that without knowing the whole story. Teammates have to work together and trust each other.

But more importantly, _friends_ have to trust each other.


	18. Chapter 18

Okay guys. I'll continue if you insist and since you all seem to like it so much. I didn't actually know people were actually reading and liking it so much. Thank you so much to those who are. You are awesome!

So I will continue, but you will have to be patient with me. There will be a long periods of time before I update again because I have school and several extracurricular activities. So please just be patient and wait. And please don't stop reading even if I take a while to update. I really am trying to update faster it's just harder now that school's started. So please please keep reading. Thank you so much for reading and when I post chapter please leave reviews. I love reading your thoughts and comments. It also help me write the story.


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